TR Pachamuthu, chancellor and owner of SRM University, one of South India’s largest private universities, was arrested by Chennai Police on Friday in connection with cheating cases filed by student aspirants who had given him more than Rs 72 crore bribe for admission to various professional colleges owned by the former.
Sources in police said that Pachamuthu, who is also known as Pari Vendhan, has also been held for questioning over the mysterious disappearance of his close associate Madhan, a movie-maker. Madhan has been missing since May 27 and the Madras High Court had recently slammed the Chennai Police for not questioning Pachamuthu.
Parents of 109 students had filed cheating complaints against Pachamuthu and Madhan for taking money from them with the promise that their children would be given admission in the medical and engineering colleges owned by SRM Group. Madhan, who has been described as a college admission agent, went missing after the collection drive. His wife and mother had moved a habeas corpus petition in the Madras High Court which had asked the Chennai Police to hasten up the probe into the disappearance of Madhan.
Sources in Chennai Police said that Pachamuthu has been charged with Section 420 (cheating) and 406 (punishment for breach of trust) of the Indian Penal Code. Chennai Central Crime Branch Police is believed to have taken Pachamuthu into custody late on Thursday evening and he was interrogated before registering the arrest.
Pachamuthu was taken to two Government hospitals in the city for thorough medical check-up following his complaint that he was experiencing uneasiness. He was yet to be brought to the Saidapet Magistrate Court at the time of going to the Press because of the prolonged medical examination in the hospital.Though his personal security guards tried to cover him with a coloured umbrella to prevent the media from taking pictures of Pachamuthu being taken in a wheelchair, it fell through and he was seen upset and disturbed.
The SRM university owner has a political outfit by the name of Indhiya Jananayaga Katchi and was an alliance partner of the BJP-led NDA in the 2014 lok Sabha election and the 2016 Assembly election. He was seen sharing the stage with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the latter’s election campaign in Tamil Nadu. But his party failed to win any seat in both elections.
Besides SRM University, Pachamuthu also owns SRM Transport, SRM Hotels, two satellite TV channels and some Tamil publications.
Four close aides of Pachamuthu too have been arrested by the police in connection with the complaints filed by the parents of the students.