Anna University case: NCW attacks government. for allowing a ‘thug’ to roam the varsity campus; The SIT starts investigating the case

Strong criticism: A group of women lawyers has sent representations to the NCW, demanding strict action against the accused. File photo | Photo Credit: KV Srinivasan

A two-member fact-finding committee of the National Commission for Women (NCW) on Tuesday left for New Delhi after its two-day visit to the city into the sexual harassment of a student on the Anna University campus.

Its members – Mamta Kumari, NCW member, and Praveen Dixit, former DGP of Maharashtra – arrived in the city on Monday. When they left, Ms. Kumari and Mr. Dixit accused the State government of allowing the accused in the case, who has criminal charges against him, to roam freely in the university campus.

The team members contacted the university authorities, the complainant and his family members. They checked the crime scene. They also met Governor RN Ravi at Raj Bhavan on Monday.

A group of women lawyers led by KM Nalinishree submitted representations to the NCW, demanding strict action against the accused and measures to protect the students in the school. The team will be submitting its report to NCW Chairman Vijaya Rahatkar.

Meanwhile, a three-woman special investigation team (SIT), formed on the order of the Supreme Court, comprising Deputy Commissioners of Police Bhukya Sneha Priya, Ayman Jamal and S. Brinda, they have started their investigation into this case and the leak of the First Information report, officials said.

EPS beats DMK

AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami lashed out at the DMK government for allegedly trying to “protect a person” from being booked in the case. “Why do the ministers of Law, Higher Education and Social Welfare have to work so hard? Who are they trying to protect? There are suspicions that there are people close to them who are involved in this case,” said Mr. Palaniswami told reporters at the AIADMK headquarters in Chennai.

Comparing the way the DMK government looks at cases of sexual harassment with that of his government, he recalled that when Pollachi’s sexual harassment and molestation came to light, he referred the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The current government, however, had challenged the Madras High Court’s order to hand over the POCSO case related to the Anna Nagar girl to the CBI, he pointed out.

BJP meeting

BJP Tamil Nadu president K. Annamalai announced that her party’s women’s wing would march from Madurai to Chennai on January 3, criticizing the DMK’s decision on the matter.

“The efforts made by the ruling government to hide the truth in this case as the suspect is a member of the DMK. Our female faculty members will [take out a] rally. When they reach Chennai, they will meet Governor RN Ravi and submit a petition,” he wrote on social media.

Separately, in a press conference, former Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan questioned the silence of DMK allies on the issue. “Instead of protesting against Amit Shah, VCK leader Thol. Thirumavalavan should criticize the government on this issue.”