india

Updated: Nov 03, 2019 00:54 IST

A day after Madras High Court quashed the Goondas Act against two prime accused in the Pollachi sexual abuse case, Tamil Nadu’s opposition DMK party on Saturday accused the AIADMK government of not dealing with the case properly.

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam’s chief MK Stalin said that due to the government’s lethargic approach, Pollachi case accused Sabari Rajan and Thirunavukkarasu would get bail at any time

“The police department in the AIADMK government had intentionally failed to follow guidelines given by the Supreme Court while engaging the Goondas Act. When one is arrested under the Goondas Act, it should be informed to his parent,” said the DMK leader.

“However, the police have not done this in the Pollachi sexual abuse case. The MHC cancelled the Goondas Act since the police have not provided proper documentation of the case,” he said.

He also alleged that the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam is conspiring to help the Pollachi sexual abuse case accused to reasons known only to them.

“If the police had followed proper guidelines in booking the duo under Goondas Act, the court could not cancel the charge. However, now the Goondas act against the two serious offenders have been cancelled by the MHC, and the offenders could get the bail at any time,” Stalin added.

The leader of opposition also expressed his concern that after getting bail, the accused may influence the witnesses in the case.

“Based on the AIADMK government’s directions, police handled the case without any serious effort. Even as the CBI has been inquiring the matter now and framed charges, the government and police’s negligence shows the accused may escape from the hands of law,” Stalin said.

The case rattled the state in February this year after a gang of men in Pollachi town of Coimbatore district allegedly befriended college students, housewives and other women, including a Chennai-based doctor, through Facebook, lured them to places of their choice and sexually assaulted and filmed them.

Subsequently, more demands for sexual favours were allegedly foisted on them with the threat of uploading the videos online. The women were taken to farmhouses or other places, where they were thrashed if they resisted the gang members.

The case came to limelight after a woman filed a complaint against Thirunavukkarasu, Sabari Rajan, Vasanthakumar, and Sathish for sexually assaulting her in a car and filming the crime in February. Several other victims have also lodged police complaints.

As the case drew the people’s, Coimbatore’s district collector ordered the Goondas Act against the four accused. Those booked under the Goondas Act cannot get bail for a year.

Police arrested Sabari Rajan, Vasanthakumar and Sathish in February and Thirunavukkarasu in March this year.

The case was later transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the federal agency framed charge-sheet against the accused in May.

While the probe is ongoing under the high court’s watch, Sabari Rajan and Thirunavukkarasu’s mothers moved a petition before it against the charges foisted on their sons.

“As per the rules, the police did not inform us about booking our sons under the Goondas Act. The police have not done proper documentation for the case,” the accused’s mothers argued.

A division bench comprising justice MM Sundaresh and justice RMT Teeka Raman set aside the Goondas Act as it heard the petition, citing the poor documentation by the police.

When HT contacted AIADMK spokesperson and former minister S Vaigaichelvan, he said he was busy in a meeting.

A former AIADMK legislator, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the government is not supporting the accused of Pollachi sexual abuse case.

“The DMK leader wants to defame the AIADMK party. We cannot be responsible for the court’s decision. As the CBI is carrying the probe and the matter is subjudice, I don’t want to comment further,” the AIADMK leader said while speaking to HT.