COIMBATORE: The Directorate of Collegiate Education (DCE) on Wednesday evening placed under suspension the principal and an associate professor of the Government Arts College, Udhagamandalam, following complaints that they demanded bribe from first-year students to switch courses. Director of Collegiate Education G Geetha confirmed their suspension.
According to sources, principal S Arul Antony and associate professor R Ravi from the Department of Botany allegedly collected Rs 5,000 and Rs 10,000 through GPay from first-year students for switching courses. Recently an audio clip was circulated on social media where the professor was heard demanding money from a first-year student to switch from Defence to Tamil course.
Besides the corruption charge, Antony, who assumed charge as principal in May faces other allegations. In particular, he allegedly approved his acquaintance to run the college canteen and collected Rs 4,500 from students for graduation. Some faculty members had send complaints to the DCE. Based on DCE direction, the Regional Joint Director (RJD) of collegiate education, Coimbatore, V Kalaiselvi held an inquiry, following which they have been suspended.
Arul Antony denied these allegations. He told TNIE,” Due to internal politics in the college and DCE, a few raised bogus complaints against me to tarnish my reputation and remove me from the post. I have not received the salary for the past eight months. Now they are refusing to pay me, citing the action against me.” “After I took charge as principal, I took steps to renew NAAC accreditation of the college, which was pending for the last two years and as part of this, I replaced the canteen which was functioning outside campus to inside.”
“Besides, I also wrote a letter to the state government to establish two hostels considering student welfare,” he said. RJD, Coimbatore V Kalaiselvi told TNIE that she inquired about allegation of bribe demand and the action was taken based on her findings.