No suo motu cognisance, HC refuses court-monitored probe

When the first bench comprising Chief Justice V K Tahilramani and Justice M Duraisamy commenced their sitting on Thursday, a group of women advocates led by Prasanna and Kanimozhi made a mention about the Pollachi sexual assault case sought the court to take up the issue as women college students have been exploited.

However, the bench, on finding from the Government pleader Jayaprakash Narayanan that the State has ordered for a CBI enquiry into the incident, refused to interfere in the issue.

Thereafter, one of the advocates sought to allow them to file a miscellaneous petition into a plea already filed by them relating to women safety. The plea had insisted on creating women safety zones manned by police and social welfare officers near every major bus stand as well as railway station in the state. However, the bench refused to accept that plea as well.

Thereafter, one of the advocates approached Justice GK Ilanthirayan vested with the portfolio of criminal original petitions. The Judge agreed to hear the case if a petition was filed in this regard. The plea is likely to be taken up for hearing on Friday.