T R Pachamuthu alias Pari Vendhar, the founder-chairman of the Chennai-based SRM University and business conglomerate, was denied bail in several corruption cases after his August 29 arrest.
Pachamuthu’s arrest came weeks after his close associate, Madhan who also handled SRM’s film division and other businesses, went missing on May 28, leaving behind a note in his car at the Chennai airport about going to the holy city of Kasi to get ‘salvation.’ 
However when his family and friends could not locate him, they filed a petition in the Madras High Court. The petition alleged that Pachamuthu and his son Ravi were involved in Madhan’s disappearance. However, the father and son claimed Madhan had been dismissed long ago. 
Meanwhile, 111 medical aspirants also filed cheating cases against Madhan for collecting Rs750mn for admissions to SRM University. They demanded a refund. 
After his arrest, Pachamuthu agreed to repay the money, but the court denied him bail until Madhan’s whereabouts were discovered. 
Pachamuthu rose from being a humble maths teacher in Thandavarayapuram village in Salem district, to establish the SRM University in 1985 that today has seven campuses, besides businesses in hospitality, television, film production and healthcare. He is also the founder of a political party titled Indhiya Jananayaka Katchi (IJK) that is an ally of the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Four film veterans die
Four Tamil film veterans died in August. 
On August 6, Tamil film scriptwriter Vietnam Veedu Sundaram, popular for his family-oriented plots, died in Chennai aged 76. He debuted in educationist Y G Parathasarathy’s theatre group in 1955 and then joined films. His hit films include Vietnam Veedu, Naalai Namadhe, Gnana Oli and Gouravam. 
Panchu Arunachalam, aged 76, an award-winning film director, lyricist and producer died on August 9 due to age-related illness in Chennai. He is credited with introducing fresh talent like music directors Illayaraja and Gangai Amaran besides directing hit films for stalwarts like Rajnikanth, Kamalhaasan, Sivaji Ganesan, current Chief minister Jayaram Jayalalithaa and others.
Also on August 9, character artiste Jothilakshmi died at age 63 due to cancer. 
She did 300 films in five decades covering hits like Periya Idathu Pen, Sethu, Muthu and many others.
Tamil film lyricist Na Muthukumar died of jaundice at the age of 41 in Chennai on August 14. In a short career Muthukumar wrote about 1,000 film songs, novels and poems that won him national awards. He is survived by wife and two small children. 

Airports on Zika alert
All airports in Tamil Nadu are scanning travellers for Zika virus following a World Health Organisation (WHO) travel advisory and the recent news of a dozen Indians being hospitalised in Singapore.
Staff at the government-owned King Institute of Virology in Chennai are being trained to test for the virus. 
Zika virus is transmitted through the bite of the Aedes Agyptus mosquito with symptoms of fever, rashes, conjunctivitis and joint pain. It affects pregnant women, who are prone to deliver babies with Down’s syndrome and Microcephaly.

New governor for Tamil Nadu
C Vidhyasagar Rao, the governor of Maharashtra, has been given additional charge of Tamil Nadu.
Incumbent governor K Rosiah’s tenure ended on August 30. 
Rao was sworn in by Chief Justice S K Kaul.