MADURAI: An advocate in the Madurai Bench of Madras High Court had alerted the Directorate of Collegiate Education (DCE) of Government of Tamil Nadu about the allegations of cash-for-appointments scandal in the prestigious American College in Madurai and urged the top authorities to defer approval for those appointments till a fair and an independent enquiry is fully conducted.
Advocate R.Ganesh Prabu had submitted documents and a preliminary list of 12 teaching appointments made in various departments of the college to Commissioner of Collegiate Education Mr.P.Ponniah IAS on September 14th 2026 with an appeal to refrain DCE from issuing final approval to these appointments which are government-aided posts.
“A DVAC probe is going on after the High Court order in cash-for-jobs scandal in American College and other allegations against former Principal M.Davamani Christober whose tenure is under scanner now. Since the integrity of appointments process is under active criminal scrutiny, the approval of 12 aided teaching appointments by the government must be deferred because approval would create recurring liability upon the State exchequer,” the advocate has said in his representation which was enclosed with police complaints, DVAC copies, High Court orders and FIR details.
The names and department of 12 appointees who are awaiting approval from Madurai Kamaraj University and Directorate of Collegiate Education were also enclosed in the petition given to IAS official Mr.P.Ponniah to make it easy for him to quickly commence the probe.
LAWYER WANTS IMPARTIAL PROBE:
Sources told ‘Lotus Times’ media on October 12th 2026 that advocate Mr.Ganesh Prabu is now taking forward the original complaint made by advocate late David Jerald with 19 supportive documents to the authorities on 26-3-2024, and late David Jerald also made a complaint to the then Commissioner of Collegiate Education on 13-6-2025 asking her to investigate the job-for-cash scam that took place when Mr.M.Davamani Christober was the college principal for over a decade.
“Lawver Mr.Ganesh Prabu’s petition in High Court Madurai Bench and the latest order given by the honourable judge to DVAC to complete the pending enquiry in 30 days time has given hopes to all the well-wishers, alumni and faculty of American College. It is a matter of shame that candidates were coerced to pay about Rs.30 lakhs for each appointment. We hope the present Commissioner of Collegiate Education Mr.P.Ponniah IAS will order for an impartial probe in to the allegations of appointments scandal in our college,” a retired faculty member has said.
The Madurai advocate has now pointed out that the governing council of The American College too had remained silent for about 12 years despite a fervent appeal made by late David Jerald on 30-5-2025 to properly enquire into several allegations of corruption made ever since 11-11-2013 against then college Principal and Secretary Mr.Davamani Christober.
MONEY WAS COLLECTED FOR JOBS:
“The petitioner and lawyer Mr.Jerald died on 28-10-2025 and now I am pursuing this case in public interest. Some of the points that are worrying in this case are the alleged demand of Rs.24 lakhs for securing employment in the college and recording Mr.Davamani Christober as an accused in a case filed in Anna Nagar police station and another demand of Rs.45 lakhs made by the former principal to make an appointment in a aided teaching vacancy in English Department. The complaint dated 26-3-2024 had alleged that appointment-related money collections were a source of unexplained assets, it identified 72 aided assistant professor appointment sbetween 2013 and 2022 for investigation, and there is also an allegation that 11 temporary faculty members had paid Rs.40 lakhs but were unable to secure university approval,” advocate R.Ganesh Prabu had mentioned in his detailed representation to Commissioner of Collegiate Education recently asking for an independent enquiry under Section 35 of the Tamil Nadu Private Colleges (Regulation) Act, 1976 in coordination with the already continuing DVAC probe against Mr.Davamani Christober who is facing enquiry for disproportionate assets, financial irregularities and alleged cash collection for appointments.
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