AIADMK sacks worker over Pollachi sexual abuse case

In a joint statement, Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswamy and Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam, the joint coordinator and coordinator of the party, said A Nagaraj has been relieved of all official responsibilities for “bringing disrepute by working in conflict with the principles of the party”.

‘Bar’ Nagaraj was one among the four persons who threatened the brother of a victim for lodging a complaint with the police against the sexual abusers. The Pollachi East police have arrested Nagaraj, Babu, Senthil and ‘Achipatty’ Vasanth Kumar in connection with the case. The key accused, Manivannan, is still on the run.

Meanwhile, Coimbatore SP R Pandiarajan ruled out the involvement of any politician in the case as was being speculated in the social media.

The SP told reporters that he has recommended to the District Collector for detaining the four arrested under Goondas Act.

Even as Opposition parties have called for an impartial investigation and arrest of AIADMK functionaries allegedly involved in the case, the SP said that Nagaraj, 34 ward secretary of Amma Peravai, was involved only in threatening the brother of the victim but has no link to the sexual offence. Four including him were arrested for intimidation,the officer added.

The SP further added that the police have seized four sexual assault videos from the mobile phone of the accused. “While we have identified two women in the video, investigations are on to identify two others. The mobile phones were given to experts to find if any videos were erased,” he said.

SP Pandiarajan added that details of all women who committed suicide in Pollachi over the past two years would be gathered and the reason for their death would be analysed. He also appealed victims to come forward and file complaints, assuring that their identity would not be revealed. More on P7