A Madurai bench of the Madras High Court on Friday came down heavily on the Tamil Nadu government for mention of victim name in its order and asked to pass a fresh order for transferring the investigation into the Pollachi sexual abuse case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
 
The high court also asked the government to withdraw the first order as it carried identity of the victim and her family members.
 
Madras High court also instructed centre government to remove all the videos related to the Pollachi sexual abuse case.
 
The Madras High Court not only  imposed 25 Lakhs penalty measures to ADMK run Tamilnadu government but also recommended departmental action against the Coimbatore SP for revealing the name of the victim.
 
Justices N Kirubakaran and SS Sundar came down heavily on the Coimbatore Superintendent of Police R Pandiarajan for revealing the total number of videos he received and the number of accused in the first stage of investigation itself.
 
“The irresponsible conduct of the police office is highly condemnable by this Court and it is appropriate to issue direction to the State Government to take disciplinary action against the said police officer,” read the order. It is not just the SP who revealed the survivor’s name but the government in its order handing over the probe to the CBI had not only named the young woman but also disclosed the identity of her brother and even where she studied.
 
The Pollachi sexual abuse case was reported when a 19-year-old woman complained to the police last month that four men tried to disrobe her in a car, filmed the assault, and stole gold jewellery from her.
 
Two police officials who want to be un named has said to the same gang of four Thirunavakkarasu, Sathish, Sabariraj and Vasanthkumar sexually harassed more than 200 women across Tamil Nadu for over two years.
 
The accused met their victims who include teachers and students from schools and colleges on Facebook, befriend them, force them to meet in person and then harass them in moving vehicles, hotels or farmhouses, the officials said.
 
The police say they have retrieved videos showing sexual harassment or assault from the gang.
 
All the accused have been booked under sexual harassment (354 A) and assault (354 B) sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
 
They were also booked under sections of the Information Technology Act, 2000, and the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Women’s Harassment Act.
 
The case assumed political overtones since a local functionary of ruling AIADMK allegedly attacked the victim’s brother.
 
The issue eventually snowballed into a political row and main opposition DMK targeted the AIADMK asking if it was protecting the accused persons.
 
The Tamil Nadu government had on Thursday transfered the Pollachi sexual abuse case to the Central Bureau of Investigation.
 
ADMK party deputy speakers Son also been alleged by local people that he also part of the gang