BJP state president K. Annamalai, at Salem on Wednesday, January 3, 2024 claimed that Periyar University Vice-Chancellor (V-C) R. Jagannathan was arrested for refusing to appoint a Registrar proposed by then Higher Education Minister K. Ponmudy.
The Salem police, however, said he was arrested on charges including cheating, criminal conspiracy and under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, on a complaint that he had started a private company without permission from the government and abusing the complainant, who belonged to the SC community.
Mr. Annamalai, however, told journalists that the Periyar University Technology Entrepreneurship and Research (PUTER) Foundation, floated by the Vice Chancellor and others is a non-profit company registered under Section 8 of the Companies Act.
He claimed the V-C’s vehicle was intercepted at the university gate on December 26, 2023, by an Assistant Commissioner of Police at 4.40 p.m. and he was taken around the city for five hours before being taken to the Government Mohan Kumaramangalam Medical College and Hospital for check up at 9.30 p.m.
He was produced at the Magistrate’s residence at 12 a.m. and after arguments, bail was granted to the V-C at 3.30 a.m. the following day. “The foundation was started to improve the skills of students and the profit cannot be taken away,” he said. He claimed a false case was lodged against him under the SC/ST Act.
Screening a seven-second video that shows the V-C speaking over his phone and talking to the complainant Elangovan, who is also legal advisor, Periyar University Employees Union, and Sakthivel, president of the union, Mr. Annamalai questioned, “how can the V-C make caste remarks in a few seconds.”
He said the university is without a Registrar for five years and the Governor, who is also the Chancellor of the university, had asked the university to expedite the process of appointing a Registrar based on which a syndicate meeting was held on November 6, 2023.
“When the selection process of the Registrar was discussed, the Higher Education Secretary joined the meeting through video conference. But the V-C opposed it as the Deputy Secretary is attending the meeting,” he added. The V-C placed the proposal for starting the PUTER foundation in the meeting and claimed that the confidential information was leaked by the Higher Education Secretary. “The V-C refused to appoint the Registrar proposed by Mr. Ponmudy. Hence, he was booked under the SC/ST Act,” he claimed.
Mr. Annamalai said a letter will be sent to Union Home Minister Amit Shah seeking action against the State Director General of Police and Salem City Police Commissioner and also to the National Human Rights Commission.
He also faulted the State government for disbursing ₹6,000 in cash to families affected by Cyclone Michaung and said, “When Prime Minister is sending Rs. nine lakh crore every year to people to their bank accounts in the country without problem, why can’t the DMK government do it,”.
Earlier in the day, Mr. Annamalai inaugurated the party’s election office for the Salem Lok Sabha Constituency in the city.
