VELLORE: The Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM), Vellore, has directed the Vellore unit of the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) to probe alleged corrupt practices in the appointment of over 20 assistant professors to several departments in the 117-year-old Voorhees College, a government-aided institution that receives full teaching and non-teaching grants from the University Grants Commission.
The CJM directive follows a case filed before the CJM-Cum-Special Court under the provisions of Section 156(3) of CrPC, pleading the court to direct the ADSP and Inspector of DVAC to register a case and investigate nine specific persons including the Chairman of the Voorhees Governing Board for corruption.
It is alleged that the Bishop of CSI Church, Vellore Diocese, A Rajavelu, (Secretary of Voorhees College and also the Chairman of Voorhees College Governing Board), M Jayakumar(Registrar of Thiruvalluvar University), and A Jayaraj(Regional Director of Collegiate Education, Vellore), and six others collected bribes between `5 lakh and `15 lakh from candidates applying for the posts of assistant professors.
The complainant, N Surendra Kumar, an advocate and an alumnus of Voorhees College alleged that the administration indulged in deals ‘under-the-table’ while recently recruiting around 20 assistant professors for the departments of Chemistry, Zoology, Tamil, English, Mathematics, Economics and Physical Education in the institution.
“Persons handling recruitment have been amassing wealth through illegal means. It has been a regular practice here. This time they made nearly `80 lakh,” said a professor.
The Church of South India, Diocese of Vellore, manages the administration of Voorhees College and has been responsible for appointing teaching and non-teaching faculties in the institution.
The complainant, in his affidavit, stated that candidates considered for appointment were asked to credit a part of the bribe amount to account number 012598 in the Punjab National Bank.
“The candidates were asked to pay the amount in the name of a close relative (of the candidate) into the account number for ‘building development purposes’,” said Surendra Kumar.
He approached the court after the Secretary of the Governing Board and the eight others failed to respond to his letters seeking an explanation for their activities.
On hearing the case, Judge Sivakadatchham passed an order for a probe on May 19. The Judge has forwarded the petition along with relevant documents submitted by the plaintiff to the DVAC and directed them to conduct preliminary enquiries.
Sources in the DVAC confirmed that they have received the directive from the court and they will soon be commencing the inquiry.
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