DVAC books former V-C of Periyar University

He and two others have been accused of various irregularities

The Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) has registered a case against former vice-chancellor of Periyar University C. Swaminathan and two others in connection with irregularities in faculty recruitment, outsourcing of examination results and sanctioning of courses to private colleges in violation of norms.

Swaminathan served as the vice-chancellor of the University from 2014 to 2017 and the said irregularities had allegedly taken place during this period. Complaints were lodged with the DVAC in Chennai and audit teams were formed to conduct a probe. Inquiries revealed that 154 unqualified teaching and non-teaching staff were appointed to various departments without the approval of the selection committees and in violation of the university norms. Even the appointment of S. Leela as Controller of Examinations was in violation of the University norms.

The then registrar K. Angamuthu, who ended his life in 2017 after retirement, had outsourced the declaration of examination results to a private company for which ₹ 3.26 crore was paid without the approval of the university finance committee. Though the required infrastructure was available at the computer science department in the university, outsourcing was done in violation of the rules. The vice-chancellor was permitted to sanction funds up to ₹ 10 lakh, where as he had sanctioned ₹ 50 lakh to the company every semester. It was found that Swaminathan, Angamuthu and Leela had gained personally and a case was registered against them.