Chennai:

A former assistant professor, Nirmala Devi, has been sentenced to 10 years in jail by a court in Tamil Nadu for soliciting sexual favors from women students to university officials. 

The court’s verdict on Monday found her guilty under five Sections, including attempting to traffick four women and imposed a fine of Rs 2.4 lakh. Two others, including a male assistant professor, were acquitted in the case.

Nirmala Devi, who worked at the Devanga Arts College in Aruppukottai, was arrested in 2018 following the circulation of a recorded telephonic conversation where she was heard tacitly asking students to provide sexual favors to university authorities.

The incident sparked a significant controversy, for implicating the Raj Bhavan. The then Governor, Banwarilal Purohit, swiftly dismissed the allegations at the time.