MADURAI: A day after Governor Banwarilal Purohit appointed a high-power committee, led by retired IAS officer R Santhanam to probe the audio clip that led to the arrest of an assistant professor of the Aruppukottai Devanga Arts College, MKU Vice-Chancellor P P Chellathurai on Tuesday dissolved a proposed five-member panel constituted by the varsity. 

“There were widespread reports in the press and on social media on Monday about certain immoral happenings at a college in Aruppukottai, in which a reference to MKU was also made. Based on this, the MKU proposed to set up a five-member committee consisting of some professors and assistant professors to enquire into the matter and submit a report. However, the Governor of Tamil Nadu, in his capacity as Chancellor of the MKU, ordered an inquiry under R Santhanam (IAS). Hence, the proposal to form an internal committee has been withdrawn,” the V-C said in a statement. “The university is keen that all details with regard to the incident be enquired into without bias. The university will render all the necessary assistance to R Santhanam,” he added.

Meanwhile, a city-based NGO, Peoples’ Watch, fired a volley of questions at the Vice Chancellor of MKU, casting doubts on his commitment to get to the bottom of the case. Questioning the ‘urgency’ shown by the V-C to form a committee to probe into the allegations, executive director of People’s Watch Henry Tiphagne said the ‘urgent’ action raised suspicions on many fronts. “The audio clip indicated towards the involvement of many higher officials of the MKU. Higher officials in any university include Chancellor, Vice-Chancellor, Registrar, Controller of Examination, the HoDs as well as its Senate and Syndicate members.