Periyar Univ VC held due to pressure from Ponmudy: Annamalai

In a turn of events that has stirred controversy, Periyar University Vice-Chancellor (V-C) R. Jagannathan finds himself at the center of a legal storm, with conflicting narratives emerging regarding the reasons behind his arrest. BJP state president K. Annamalai claims the arrest is linked to the V-C’s refusal to appoint a Registrar proposed by then Higher Education Minister K. Ponmudy. However, Salem police assert that the arrest is on charges of cheating, criminal conspiracy, and under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, related to the establishment of a private company without government permission. Annamalai contends that the Periyar University Technology Entrepreneurship and Research (PUTER) Foundation, initiated by the V-C and others, is a non-profit company registered under Section 8 of the Companies Act. He argues that the foundation aims to enhance students’ skills and that any alleged profit is not personal gain but for the betterment of education. The BJP state president alleges that the V-C was detained at the university gate on December 26, 2023, taken around the city for five hours, and subsequently brought to the Government Mohan Kumaramangalam Medical College and Hospital for a check-up. The arrest, he claims, was followed by a late-night appearance before the magistrate and eventual bail granted at 3.30 a.m. the next day. Annamalai challenges the legitimacy of the charges under the SC/ST Act, arguing that a false case has been lodged against the V-C. He presents a seven-second video where the V-C is seen conversing over the phone with the complainant, raising doubts about the veracity of allegations of caste-related remarks. The complexity of the situation is further heightened by the conflicting narratives presented by Annamalai and the Salem police. While the BJP leader asserts a politically motivated arrest due to the V-C’s refusal to comply with the government’s choice for Registrar, the police co