Vel University head Isari Ganesh arrested for ‘attempt to murder’

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Vel’s University chancellor Isari K. Ganesh, also a member of the Pachaiyappa’s Trust, was arrested on Tuesday on charges of assaulting another trust member during a meeting on Saturday.

The police registered a case of attempt to murder against the private university chancellor.

According to the police, the arrest was based on a complaint from trust member, Dr Sivasubramanian, who alleged that in the melee during an argument at the meeting he was assaulted by Mr Saravanan and Mr Mohan, instigated by Mr Ganesh.

“The victim suffered injuries on his head and hand after he was hit by an iron chair,” a police press release said.

After registering a case at Kilpauk police station under various sections, including attempt to murder and criminal intimidation, a special team arrested Mr Ganesh at his suburban Injambakkam residence.

His lawyers alleged human rights violation. Mr Ganesh was produced before an Egmore metropolitan magistrate and remanded in judicial custody.

FROM RAGS TO RICHES

The jailed politician-turned-educationist Isari K. Ganesh started life as a student union leader in Pachaiyappa’s college in the ‘80s and became chairman of the board of trustees of the prestigious educational institution which is worth several thousand crores of rupees.

After the death of his father and actor Isari Velan, Mr Ganesh started a pharmacy college in Mylapore with funds from the then AIADMK chief minister M.G. Ramachandran and guidance of a former AIADMK minister.

He grew to the level of starting a deemed university at Pallavaram in the early 1990s, which came under the Supreme Court’s scanner along with 40 other private universities.

The web portal of Vel’s group of educational institutes portrays Mr Ganesh as a visionary and eminent educationist. Vel’s group runs 12 different institutions at its own three campuses in and around Chennai in multi-disciplinary and diversified fields.

The website also claimed that 'the management is committed to provide the best education, affordable to all, with excellent infrastructure combined with effective teaching'.