CB-CID forms multiple teams

Moves court seeking custody of Nirmala Devi

Assistant Professor, Nirmala Devi, being escorted by police outside All Women Police station in Aruppukottai on Tuesday.

The Crime Branch - Criminal Investigation Department (CB-CID) on Thursday got down to business with the formation of several teams to conduct simultaneous investigation and interrogation of suspects and complainants in the audiotape controversy involving assistant professor Nirmala Devi.

The CB-CID Superintendent of Police, S. Rajeswari, had a discussion on the plan of action with Deputy Superintendent of Police and Inspectors of Police from the CB-CID’s south zone. The crime case registered by the Aruppukottai town police was reassigned to the CB-CID.

Three Deputy Superintendents of Police and nine Inspectors would be involved in the investigation. A technical team has also been engaged to analyse the call detail records of mobile phones already seized by the Aruppukottai town police.

The CB-CID moved the Judicial Magistrate Court II, Virudhunagar, seeking custody of Ms. Devi for interrogation.

‘No regret’

Meanwhile, police sources privy to the case said that during the interrogation by the district police, Ms. Devi showed no signs of regret or remorse for her action.

“She argued that she had done it for mutual benefit. While the girl students would achieve greater heights in their academic pursuit and also make money, she said she would be making a big leap in her career,” a police officer said. She also felt that her persuasion of the girls into getting the favours done was nothing “new” or “unusual.”

The officer said that the girls she had spoken with had good academic records. They were also not from poor economic background but from middle class.

The conversation she had with the girls started only after she went to MKU for the refresher course on March 9. “Even her selection to the refresher course in the MKU was through some recommendation,” the officer said. The conversation went up to March 15.