With just a month remaining for the Lok sabha election from the State, the ruling AIADMK has been put on the defensive by various Opposition parties following a sex scandal erupting out of Pollachi in south west Tamil Nadu. A district level office-bearer of the AIADMK figured among the four persons arrested by Tamil Nadu Police on Monday even as the DMK, the principal opposition party, alleged that there was a move to save the predators in what it described as ‘serial sexual assault case’.
A Nagaraj, office-bearer of Amma Peravai, a feeder organisation of the AIADMK along with three others were arrested by the police following a complaint by one of the victims, a girl from Pollachi. The police held the four persons including Nagaraj on Monday on charges of physically assaulting the brother of the victim as she “dared” to make a complaint to the police against the predators.
The modus operandi of the predators was in this line. They will befriend girls and women through social media and lure them with offers of love and marriage. The gullible and innocent victims hailing from rural Tamil Nadu were taken for a ride by the predators who would film them in compromising positions and later blackmail them for money as well as sexual favours.
A senior police officer I Coimbatore district said that more than 50 women and girls have fallen victims to the gang members who have made this as a money spinning profession. “Most of the victims chose not to complaint for fear of social stigma and the impact it would have on their family. We have assured the victims total secrecy of they prefer to file complaints,” said the officer.
In a related development on Tuesday, the Government of Tamil Nadu transferred the case to the Crime Branch-Crininal Investigation Department of the State Police for speedy investigation. Those who were arrested in connection with the case have been slapped with charges like Goondas Act which means that they would not get bail for one year. What began as an isolated case on February 25 has exploded into a major sexual scam in which more than 25 to 30 men have been listed as accused.
M K Stalin, leader of Opposition, who is also the president of the DMK, alleged that there was an attempt by the police to save some of the accused in the case as there was political pressure from the ruling party to hush up the case. Stalin’s description of the intensity of the crime sent shock waves across the state. “The video pf the helpless girl crying is unbearable to watch. It is highly condemnable that the ruling AIADMK is protecting the culprits,” said Stalin in statement released to the media . This means that the DMK chief had seen a video in which the victim was seen pleading with the predators not to torment her anymore.
Pollachi Jayaraman, the local MLA and AIADMK functionary told reporters that the Edappady Palaniswamy government would give top priority in bringing the culprits to book. “We will not hesitate to hand over the case to any agency so that the victims get instant justice,” said Jayaraman, deputy speaker of the Tamil Nadu assembly.