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The man who blew the lid off the mark sheet forgery racket in Pondicherry University was found murdered on May 20, 2008. That case is hanging fire despite demands from his family and political parties that it be handed over to the CBI which is probing the forgery case.
Jayaraman, 31, an employee in the examination department of Pondicherry University, who was found strangled to death in his farm, had formally filed a complaint to university authorities that middlemen, with the connivance of university officials, were involved in large-scale tampering of answer papers and mark sheets.
The CBI took up the forgery case six months ago and arrested a middleman and a section officer of the university. During the investigation, the agency found documents allegedly implicating Dr Krishnamurthy and his son Kiruba Sridhar, a medical student. It was while hearing their anticipatory bail plea on Monday that Justice Reghupathy claimed that a Union Minister had tried to pressure him.
Sridhar, who was appearing for his third exam — this was his last chance — at Aarupadai Veedu Medical College under the University, had scored only 9 out of 40 in ophthalmology.
The scandal first became public when Jayaraman wrote to university officials in January 2008. He said that he had collected details about how answer papers of several professional students had been replaced and mark sheets tampered with, said Durairaj, his elder brother.
Strangely, when the university set up an inquiry, Jayaraman’s name came up as one of those allegedly involved.
“Soon after he filed the complaint, he started receiving calls — both threatening and with promises of money and job. Officially, he was transferred to the English Department,” said Durairaj.
In February 2008, Jayaraman attempted to commit suicide. In his statement to the police, he said that pressure from within and outside the university had forced him to take such a step.
“On April 24, some henchmen threatened him with dire consequences if he gave any information to the internal inquiry panel. I advised him to file a complaint with the Kalapet police station but there was no further action,” Durairaj said.
On the night of May 19, Jayaraman went to his farmland but did not return. His relatives went out in search and found his body, strangulated, his hands and legs tied. The local police have failed to make any headway in the investigation.
Jayaraman’s family approached the High Court for a CBI probe into the murder case. The High Court has asked the state government for its opinion on transferring the case.
“It is evident that he was murdered for exposing the mark sheet scam. Our information is that he had collected about 200 cases which may have led to his murder. Now only the CBI can bring out the truth of the matter,” said advocate MV Ramachandramurthy, vice-president of Indian Solidarity Committee for Democracy, Freedom and Human Rights, a local organisation that has taken up the case.
Durairaj said there were several unanswered questions. “The local police could not retrieve the records from Jayaraman’s computer saying it was password-protected and needed experts from Chennai Cyber Crime Cell to access. After the CBI took over the forgery case, a fire broke out in the office and the computer was destroyed,” he said.
“We have been investigating this case. But so far, we have not got any concrete evidence to proceed with the investigation. Also, the kin of the deceased have approached the High Court demanding the transfer of the case to CBI,” said NP Sivadasan, SP (North).
University vice-chancellor J A K Tareen, a noted mineralogist, said that the university had taken prompt action against all those who were found to be guilty in the case.
“We cancelled the whole examination to ensure that no one benefited from the malpractice. Two section officers were immediately placed under suspension while those found suspicious were removed from their duties. But unfortunately we do not get much information from the police or the CBI about the two cases, making it difficult for us to take action accordingly,” he said.
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Only way to cleanup the corruption is not democracy.I hopeone day some one take care of this mess or there is no future for this country.Corrupted politicians,religious leaders and social customs are destroying this country.Is there any one who cares in that country?
UPA Government is not bothered whether a central cabinet minister pressurises a Judge or an MP of Congress party slaps a bank manager, they know only that PM is very honest and that's enough.
It is highly shameful that Govt is always bend on punishing the honest people, thereby enabling the guilty to enjoy their game. In this case also, the deceased Jayaraman lost his life for being honest to his work. Merely suspending some lower rungs does not mean that the guilty have been punished. It is a larger scam than expected.
It's very painful to hear about central minister trying to inflence in a marks scandal the Madras High court Judge.The Judge exposing it. I worked as a management Professor in a big city. I myself undergone such pressures from higher up. I brought it to the notice of Chancellor.The result is I lost my promotions and incurred salary cuts. Thank god I am not murdered though threatened. Now I am also an attorneysince I have many qualifications.My experiance proved It is true the law and justice is only for the poor and the affluent will be scot free even if they commit serious crimes.Thata how the Gandhian dream of "welfare state " .is presently working.Also one should note a recent beating of bank employee by an M.P. in A.P. Since the state protects he can easily get away since he is a ruling M.P.All yhis proves that a common man should thread carefully while understanding the Indian way of Democracy other wise he is in serious trouble.
CBI should take the case of death of the wistle blower
DMK as a party is corrupt.Hence its an ally of Congress.All corrupts looting our nation.
Lot of skeletons are there in Karunanidhi's cupboard.T.R.Ballu's looting,Tha.Ki.krishnan murder casre and the way Alagiri was bailed out,Jagathrakshkan's education scandel,A.Raja's money sourcing for the Elections and now the Judge case.People think Stalin is better of the lot.Actually he was a womaniser on prowl at Gopalapuram.During the emergency,then DGP was heard to remark,had he the opportunity he would have broken the shins of Stalin.So these are the people who are calling the shots in Tamilnadu
This is a racket of involvement high personalities. It is appreciated that steps has been by the University to eliminate such highhandedness. The mentions of the High Court Judge is to be taken into serious consideration and to be proceeded with further investigation in the matter. It is the interest of the people to have fair education to all.
Whether Raja or any other DMK minister at the Center threatened anyone in Judiciary, to rule "his" way is irrelevant. Ministers abusing their position of power is well documented in TV News exposes and even believe it or not, in Tamil TV serials! In Tamilnadu especially, Goondas and known criminals in the positions of DMK or ADMK , Central or State Cabinet Ministers during the past Forty years or so,have destroyed any credibility, the average ever suffering electorate have had for electing or reelecting back to power the same old characters, one time or another. Tamilnadu is in the grip of total lawlessness, perpetuated by the Grand Old Man Karunanidhi, his family and the bunch of goons, who, really do not care for the "principles" of Dr. Kalaignar.Only Stalin is a serious and thoughtful leader and a bright spot in the otherwise dismal political landscape.Raja and his ilk are criminal elements, who should have been locked up for good, by now. But Manmohan Singh is powerless.
It is very sad that the person, who leaked out the scam has been murdered on May 20,2008. The only thing he had done is collecting the details and writing to the University officials about this. The culprits,howsoever, big and influential politically should be punished by awarding exempolary punishment and the Union Minister,who triedto pressurise Justice Raghupathy should also be dismissed from the Cabinet and a criminal case should be registered against him and should be arrested immediately. He should be tried in the Court, for his involvement in gettting a favourable judgment to the guilty. It seems the Law and Justice is only for the POOR inthe country and the affluent will be scot free, even though they are involved in crimes.
Chennai medical education is stiniking with scams. It is not even a fortnite ago, when the private medical collges were caught on camera for selling seats at a price. All apart, to me it looks that Judge is seeking attention and want to sensationalise the case. Else these are days, when voices are duplicated by several means. What facility judge has to confirm that the call was from a minister. Even if he is correct, the forum he has chosen is wrong. He could have gone through established procedures instead of seeking publicity. Judiciary is neither innocent nor above the graft scams. So instead of seeking cheap publicity, judge must rake up proper channels to investigate and punish the guilty.