VIRUDHUNAGAR: A private college's former Assistant Professor Nirmala Devi, the primary accused involved in luring students into giving sexual favours for higher officials at the Madurai Kamaraj University in 2018, was convicted by the Fast Track Mahila court in Srivilliputhur on Monday. The other two accused involved in the case including MKU Assistant professor Murugan and research student Karupasamy were acquitted of their charges for lack of evidence.
According to the sources, Nirmala was convicted under five sections including the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act. Following the request made by her counsel to make arguments regarding the conviction, Judge T Bagavathi Ammal said that the conviction details including years of imprisonment will be pronounced on Tuesday noon.
In 2018, the suspended Assistant Professor Nirmala Devi from Devanga Arts college in Aruppukottai was arrested by the Aruppukottai Town police in April following a complaint by the college's secretary Ramasamy, who alleged that some girls from the institute was lured by Nirmala into offering sex for gain.
"Four girls, pursuing their third year in Mathematics at the college gave me a petition stating that Nirmala has been luring them for sexual favours to the MKU officials in return of benefiting students with marks and supporting them financially. Following the inquiry, Nirmala was suspended from the college in March," he said in the complaint further seeking necessary action by the police. Meanwhile, the issue gained wider attention after the audio of Nirmala luring girls went online.
Later, the case was transferred to CB-CID and during the investigation, two more persons, MKU Assistant professor Murugan and research student Karupasamy were found to be involved in the crime. Following the arrest, the trio were eventually lodged in the prison and were granted bail later.
Following the series of hearings over the years, the Fast Track Mahila court Judge Bagavathi Ammal convicted Nirmala on Monday.
Meanwhile, addressing the media persons, special public prosecutor M Chandrasekaran said that they will be appealing against the acquittal of Murugan and Karupasamy. "We consider that there are enough evidences for the conviction of the duo," he said. He further added that bystanders from the MKU have turned into hostile witnesses.
