District Superintendent of Police A.V. Ranganath on Saturday confirmed that a vice-principal of Mahatma Gandhi University, accused of sending lewd texts to a woman student was in police custody, and an enquiry was opened.
“The above vice-principal is still in our custody, enquiry is in progress. It is wrong to say that he was counselled and let off,” the Superintendent of Police stated in a police-media WhatsApp group, assuring a full disclosure post-enquiry.
According to police sources, Y. Punith Kumar, an academic consultant and vice-principal of the University College of Engineering at Panagal, on the town outskirts, allegedly sent lewd texts to a final year B.Tech student. His cellphone and WhatsApp conversations are being examined by the police.
Official sources of the MGU, confirming the incident, said the male teacher was in the Electrical and Electronics Engineering department.
“Soon after the incident was reported, a six-member committee, including a member of the Women Protection Cell and the security officer, was constituted and enquiry was taken up. The report has been filed and the teacher was removed,” an official said.
Screenshots
The aggrieved student had produced WhatsApp screenshots as evidence that the teacher sent lewd texts and sought sexual favours from her, they added.
It was also confirmed by sources that the student approached SP Ranganath on Feburary 28 and requested action, following which the teacher went absconding. He was nabbed only recently and an investigation was opened.
Meanwhile, student organisations – Students’ Federation of India, Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad and others took to protests, demanding stringent action against the teacher.
