The Association of University Teachers (AUT) has alleged that Periyar University Registrar (full additional charge) K. Thangavel had floated another private company in November last year, and following the recent PUTER Foundation controversy, his name has been removed from the company’s list of directors.
Last month, the Salem Karuppur police registered a case against Periyar University Vice-chancellor R. Jagannathan, Mr. Thangavel, and two others for floating a private company, PUTER Foundation, in their personal capacities and allegedly misappropriating funds. The Vice-Chancellor was arrested and released on bail, and the remaining three accused in the case were yet to be traced by police.
In a representation to the Higher Education Minister, the AUT alleged that Mr. Thangavel had floated another private company UPTECCON Forum in November 2023, and it was incorporated with the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA).
The company has been listed in the class of private company and classified as non-government company and is registered at Registrar of Companies, Chennai, with an authorised share capital of ₹15 lakh and paid up capital of ₹1 lakh. Mr. Thangavel and two others were directors of this company, and after PUTER Foundation came under the government scanner, the name of Mr. Thangavel was removed from the website in December, with the remaining two people continuing as directors.
AUT president S. Balamurugan, therefore, urged the Minister to initiate a criminal investigation into the issue.
He alleged while the Vice-Chancellor is back at work, Governor-Chancellor R.N. Ravi had recently visited the university, “with the solitary purpose to strengthen the tarnished hands of the V-C,” hitherto unheard of in the history of higher education in Tamil Nadu.
