The fast-track court for women's cases in Srivilliputtur convicted former assistant professor Nirmala Devi for allegedly luring four girl students to perform sexual favours in 2018. However, Judge T.T. Bagavathiammal acquitted two other accused individuals: V. Murugan, an assistant professor at Madurai Kamaraj University (MKU), and S. Karuppasamy, a former research scholar at MKU on Monday. The sentencing for Nirmala Devi is scheduled for Tuesday.
The incident, which caused widespread shock across the state, even reached the office of the Tamil Nadu Governor. During a conversation, Nirmala Devi reportedly also referenced the office of the Governor. However, then Governor Banwarilal Purohit denied any involvement in the crime, according to a report on IANS.
In 2018, an audio clip surfaced featuring Nirmala Devi, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Mathematics at Devanga Arts College in Arupukottai, conversing with four female students, attempting to persuade them to engage in sexual favours.
The prosecution alleged that Nirmala Devi urged the girls to comply with the expectations of higher officials at Madurai Kamaraj University, Madurai. In exchange, the students were promised higher marks in their semester examinations, financial benefits, and seats at MKU for postgraduate studies.