Periyar University V-C arrested as he refused to appoint Registrar of government’s choice: Annamalai

BJP state president K. Annamalai claims V-C R. Jagannathan arrested for refusing to appoint Registrar proposed by Minister K. Ponmudy. Salem police say otherwise.

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.