MADURAI: The Madurai Bench of Madras High Court on Thursday granted one month time to the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) to file report on the investigation being conducted by it into the alleged issuance of fake PSTM (Persons Studied under Tamil Medium) certificates by the Madurai Kamaraj University (MKU).
A Bench comprising Justices SS Sundar and B Pugalendhi had issued the direction on a contempt petition filed by G Sakthi Rao of Madurai last year over TNPSC's alleged non-compliance of a judgment passed by the Court that only candidates who studied their entire education in Tamil medium are eligible for PSTM reservation.
In the said judgment dated March 22, 2021, which was passed in a petition filed by Rao alleging irregularities in appointments made by TNPSC under PSTM reservation in Group I posts, the court had noted that majority of candidates who were appointed under PSTM category had studied in English medium and later obtained degrees in Tamil medium through distance education just to avail the PSTM reservation. Since DVAC is probing fake certificate scam in MKU, the court had instructed the Director of DVAC to constitute a special team headed by a DSP-level officer to probe into the problem of fake certificates, including PSTM certificates, issued by MKU and file periodical status reports.
When a Bench of Justices Sundar and Pugalendhi questioned on Thursday as to why DVAC has not filed any reports in the case so far, the government counsel contended that the investigation was being delayed by the non-cooperation of MKU in furnishing the certificates. The judges, therefore, suo motu impleaded the varsity in the contempt petition and granted one month time to the DVAC to file its investigation report. The case was adjourned to September 23.