Tamil Nadu: Congress leader summoned in Pollachi sexual assault case

Coimbatore, Mar 21 (UNI): The CB-CID wing of Tamil Nadu police, probing the sensational Pollachi serial sexual assault case, on Thursday issued summons to Congress leader Mayura Jayakumar asking him to appear before it on March 25.

The summons were issued based on custodial interrogation of the key accused Thirunavukakrasau, who was arrested along with three others in the case.

Mayura Jayakumar was recently made one of the Working Presidents of the party.

The summons were issued to seek explanation from Jayakumar based on some allegations made by Thirunavukkarasu.

The Pollachi serial sexual assault and blackmail case was transferred to the Crime Branch-CID for investigation by director-general of police T.K. Rajendran and the government transferred it to the CBI.

Four accused in the shocking sexual assault case, including the mastermind Thirunavukarasu, were detained under the Goondas Act.

The four - Thirunavukkarasu, Sathish, Sabarirajan, Vasanthakumar - all in their 20s, were accused of sexually assaulting many young women in Pollachi area over a period of time and filming the act.

The mobile phones seized from the accused contained videos of several women whom the accused had allegedly blackmailed for money and sexual favours.

Cases were registered against them under Sections 354(A) (sexual harassment), 354 (B) (assault or use of criminal force) and 392 of IPC (Central Act XLV of 1860) and Sec 66-E of Information Technology Act, 2000 and Sec 4 of Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Women Act, 1998 (Tamil Nadu Act 44 of 1998) against the four accused, who were later arrested and sent to judicial custody.

The incident came to light when the brother of a victim was assaulted by the gang for demanding that the videos in the mobile be deleted.

The case of serial sexual assault and blackmail of scores of women by the gang, said to be politically influential in Pollachi, triggered widespread political and social outrage after a leaked video of a victim pleading with her tormentors prompted the opposition parties to demand stern action against the accused.

After various political parties strongly condemned it and demanded strict action against the accused, the government issued an order transferring the probe to the CBI.