Woman IPS officer to head team; State govt. mulls handing over probe to CBI

The Crime Branch CID of the Tamil Nadu police on Tuesday launched an investigation into the serial sexual assault and blackmailing of women in Pollachi.

The four accused — K. Thirunavukkarasu, 27; N. Sabarirajan, aka Rishwanth, 25; N. Sathish, 29; and T. Vasanthakumar, 24 — who were arrested on charges of sexual harassment, use of criminal force and other Sections were also detained under the Goondas Act.

Team in Coimbatore

A special team, led by Superintendent of Police Nisha Parthiban, landed in Coimbatore late on Tuesday to commence investigations in the case that has sent shock waves across the State.

The investigation was transferred from the Coimbatore Rural police to the CB-CID on Tuesday by the government as protests by political parties and students’ groups continued.

Police sources said the State government was mulling transferring the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation, amid allegations that some senior functionaries of the ruling party were involved in the scandal, in which scores of women were allegedly sexually assaulted, videographed and blackmailed.

Victim’s plea

Soon after Director General of Police T.K. Rajendran issued orders transferring the case to the CB-CID, audio clips, purportedly of the complainant, were shared on social media.

The woman is heard appealing that the case not be politicised or sensationalised. The young woman is also heard repeatedly mentioning that Tamil Nadu Deputy Speaker and Pollachi MLA Jayaraman had helped her file a case.

At the CB-CID headquarters, DGP M.S. Jaffar Sait instructed the special team, which comprises Deputy Superintendent of Police R. Muthusamy, inspector R. Sumathy and others, to immediately take possession of all documents, material evidence and other records and commence investigation.

Four booked under Goondas Act

The woman is heard appealing that the case should not be politicised or sensationalised.

The young woman is also heard repeatedly mentioning that Tamil Nadu Deputy Speaker and Pollachi MLA Jayaraman had helped her file a case.

At the CB-CID headquarters, DGP M.S. Jaffar Sait instructed the special team which also comprised Deputy Superintendent of Police R. Muthusamy, Inspector R. Sumathy and others to immediately take possession of all documents, material evidence and other records and commence investigation.