Hospitalised Periyar University V-C nominates Registrar in-charge as co-accused goes on leave

Periyar University V-C arrested, DVK urges State govt to appoint special officer to administer university & prevent destruction of evidence.

Periyar University Vice-Chancellor R. Jagannathan, who was released on conditional bail in a criminal case and subsequently hospitalised on “health grounds”, had on December 29 nominated a faculty member as Registrar in-charge of the university as the Registrar (full additional charge), K. Thangavel, a co-accused in the case, had gone on “leave”.

The Periyar University Employees’ Union (PUEU) legal advisor, I. Elangovan, on whose complaint the Vice-Chancellor was arrested on December 26, has consequently alleged that Prof. Jagannathan is running the university administration from the hospital.

Separately, the Dravidar Viduthalai Kazhagam (DVK) on Tuesday urged the State government to appoint a special officer to administer the university and prevent “the destruction of evidence against the V-C and Registrar”.

The Karuppur police had registered a case against Prof. Jagannathan, Mr. Thangavel and two others on December 26 on charges of misusing their official position, starting a private company, PUTER Foundation, and misappropriating funds. The police arrested the V-C, who was released on bail in the wee hours of December 27.

Meanwhile, in a complaint made to Salem City Police Commissioner B. Vijayakumari by e-mail on Tuesday, Mr. Elangovan said that on December 27, the Vice-Chancellor appointed P. Viswanathamoorthi, a professor in the Chemistry department, as Registrar in-charge (for two days) before he went to the Suramangalam police station to record his signature as per his bail conditions. He claimed that Mr. Viswanathamurthi signed two MoUs with two private firms in September last, on behalf of PUTER Foundation.

Subsequently, on December 29, through another letter, the Vice-Chancellor asked Mr. Viswanathamoorthi to function as Registrar in-charge from December 30 to January 3, 2024.

Mr. Elangovan also alleged that the wife of P. Vishnumoorthy, a section officer at Periyar University, was appointed to PUTER Foundation for a monthly salary of ₹30,000, and she handled all matters concerning the foundation till December 2. Mr. Vishnumoorthy was among those who accompanied the V-C to the Suramangalam police station on December 27 for recording his signature. “This proves that the V-C is still running the university from the hospital through his alleged confidantes. We believe that evidence against the V-C and others might be destroyed. Hence, the police should hold an inquiry with the Registrar in-charge and the section officer to bring out the truth,” Mr. Elangovan said.