Ayanavaram rape case: Madras HC to hold in-camera hearing

Justice AD Jagdish Chandira before whom the plea came up on Thursday, on observing the sensitivity attached to the case, held that the proceedings will be held in-camera. This meant that the proceeding will be carried out in private, in the absence of the public and the press.

The 14 persons accused in the rape of a 12-year old differently-abled girl had moved the plea seeking to transfer the probe to CBI as they had been falsely framed in the case. Also, noting that a minor girl could not have survived gang rape on multiple occasions, the plea said this false case through media has prejudiced the minds of everyone in society and the police have acted hastily by not giving breathing time to the petitioners for reasons best known to them.

The affidavit also pointed out that they were mercilessly beaten up by unknown persons in the court when they were produced for remand and now they have been presently detained under the Goondas Act.

They further noted that owing to the false case, it was not only them but also their entire families are suffering and will continue to suffer in the society irrespective of the outcome of this case.

It may be noted that when the case came up for hearing on Wednesday, Justice Jagdish Chandira had directed the government counsel to obtain instructions from the inspector of All-Women Police Station at Ayanavaram as the petitioners had pressed for an interim stay of the investigation until their main plea for change of investigation was decided.