The Principal of the Government Arts College in Udhagamandalam was suspended after a video of him allegedly accepting cash from a student of the college surfaced in social media on Wednesday.
According to sources in the Higher Education Department, the principal, Arul Antony, and another faculty member in the college have been placed under suspension. The suspension comes the day when a video surfaced on social media platform of the principal receiving an envelope, allegedly containing cash, from a student of the college seeking his recommendation for accommodation in the hostel run by Adi Dravidar Welfare Department.
According to sources, the student was asked to pay ₹10,000 as a bribe by the principal for a place to stay at the hostel. As the boy could not pay the full amount demanded by the principal, he gave an advance of ₹ 4,000 to him in the envelope which he managed to capture on video.
In the video, the principal is seen accepting the envelope allegedly containing ₹4,000 in cash, and saying that the faster the rest of the amount is paid, the application process can be expedited.
When contacted, the principal denied the allegations and said the student was handing over college fees to him. “As the time period for paying the fee had lapsed, I accepted the payment from the student,” he claimed.
Already, the Government Arts College has been the subject of investigations by the Directorate of Collegiate Education. V. Kalaiselvi, Regional Joint Director of Collegiate Education, Coimbatore Region, had conducted an inquiry into allegations that the principal and other professors in the college were accepting money from students who wished to switch courses after joining the college.
“The inquiry was conducted as per a directive from higher officials. We have submitted the findings of the inquiry to the Director of Collegiate Education,” said Ms. Kalaiselvi. She did not elaborate on the inquiry report’s findings. In the meantime, the principal and a faculty member have been suspended.
