New Delhi/Chennai, Dec 28 (IANS): The Madras High Court on Saturday ordered a probe by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) into the alleged sexual assault of an Anna University student.
Pulling up the Chennai Police for revealing the contents of the FIR on its website, including the rape survivor’s identity, a Bench of Justices S.M. Subramaniam and V. Lakshminarayanan ordered the Tamil Nadu government to pay an interim compensation of Rs. 25 lakh to the victim.
It clarified that its present order will not prejudice the victim’s right to seek compensation under the criminal law.
The Madras HC also asked the state government to consider taking appropriate action against the Police Commissioner for holding a press conference regarding the case without prior permission.
A day before, the Justice S.M. Subramaniam-led Bench decided to take up the issue suo motu (on its own) after a letter petition was addressed to the Madras HC raising safety concerns of women in the state.
It deferred the hearing till December 28 and in the meantime, called for a status report from the Tamil Nadu government.
In her letter, advocate R Varalakshmi demanded that a Special Investigation Committee (SIC) led by a sitting woman judge of the Madras HC should oversee the investigation and ensure adherence to legal protocols.
Alternatively, she prayed to transfer the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to guarantee a thorough and impartial investigation free from political or institutional interference.
The horrific incident occurred when the victim, a 19-year-old engineering student at Anna University, and her male friend were sitting in a secluded area of the varsity's campus after attending a midnight Christmas mass at a nearby church.
Accused Gnanashekaran allegedly attacked the male friend, brutally assaulting him, before dragging the girl to a nearby shrub and raping her.
The Chennai Police have faced severe criticism for the lapse in security.
Authorities had earlier claimed to have implemented comprehensive safety measures for Christmas celebrations, with over 8,000 officers deployed.
Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu BJP President, K. Annamalai has alleged that the accused, Gnanashekaran, was not included in the police’s rowdy list despite being involved in several criminal cases.
He claimed that this omission was due to Gnanashekaran’s close ties with DMK leaders and provided evidence of the accused’s affiliation with the ruling party.
Annamalai also condemned the police for leaking the FIR related to the sexual assault case, which resulted in the identification of the victim.
He claimed that the authorities intentionally leaked the details and failed to ensure the safety and anonymity of the survivor.
Annamalai also accused DMK of attempting to divert attention from the deteriorating law and order situation in Tamil Nadu by promoting a false narrative of a North-South divide.