Chennai: After massive outrage broke out over the Pollachi sexual assault case, the Tamil Nadu government on Tuesday transferred the case to the CBI on Tuesday.
The police sources said the same gang had lured over 55 women in the past seven years, and so far there is just one complaint against the accused. The reason the case is transferred to the CBI is to probe the network behind the incidents.
An AIADMK worker was sacked from the party on Monday for assaulting the brother of Pollachi sexual abuse survivor.
In February, a woman was sexually harassed by four men inside a car in Pollachi district and the act was videographed by the gang that blackmailed her for money. Unable to bear the trauma, the woman informed her family who later filed a police complaint against the four men.
The brother of the victim had accosted the alleged perpetrators of the assault. The accused in the case had roped in AIADMK functionary A Nagaraj to intimidate the victim's brother. According to police sources, Nagaraj had physically assaulted the victim's brother. An FIR has been filed against Nagaraj for the assault.
Three men were arrested in February and the main accused Thirunavukarasu was arrested on March 5. The four accused have been booked under Goondas Act. Thirunavukarasu’s bail plea was today rejected by a Pollachi court.
The issue snowballed with DMK MP M Kanimozhi staging a protest in Pollachi district demanding a fair and thorough probe into the incident.
Meanwhile, Makkal Needhi Maiam president Kamal Haasan met the state DGP. The party members staged a silent march demanding stringent punishment. Kamal Haasan was the first to raise the issue on March 5.
“The Police department has assured that a fair investigation will be done in the issue and requested us not to politicise the incident. I personally request all the media and public to not use the name and photos of the victims. We should make sure that their identity is not revealed. Let us have faith in the judiciary and not roar on social media," added Kamal Hassan.
Students of Mannargudi Government arts college protested against the government, condemning the sexual assault and demanded strict action against the accused. Students from Madras University also protested showing their displeasure over the incident.
The Madurai bench of the Madras HC came down heavily on national media. "Prominence is not being given by the national media to regional issues. When compared to Nirbhaya case, same kind of importance is not given to rural incidents," said Magistrate Kirubakaran and SS Sundar of Madurai bench.
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