CBI formally registers arrest of fifth accused in Pollachi sexual abuse case

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) recorded the arrest of the fifth accused in the Pollachi sexual harassment case in Tamil Nadu on Monday.

In February this year, the Pollachi police arrested four youths on the basis of a sexual harassment complain by a 19-year-old girl. The police had slapped various sections, including section IV of the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Women Act.

The accused were identified as K Thirunavukkarasu, 27; N Sabarirajan, 25, alias Rishwanth; N Sathish, 29; and T Vasanthakumar, 24; all residents of Pollachi in Coimbatore district.

The police also arrested four others, namely, ‘Bar’ Nagaraj, Senthil, Babu, and Vasanthakumar for allegedly threatening the bother of the victim girl to withdraw the complaint against Thirunavukkarasu and three others. The police subsequently arrested one Manivannan for threatening the victim’s brother. Manivannan had surrendered before the judicial magistrate court, Coimbatore and the CB-CID took custody of him.

The case, initially handled by the local police, was transferred to the CB-CID by DGP TK Rajendran after videos of the accused threatening a few girls and sexually harassing them went viral on social media.

Based on Manivannan’s confession, the CB-CID added rape charges to the existing ones and listed him as an accused in the rape case too. The CB-CID police registered Manivannan’s arrest in the rape case too.

The case was then taken over by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). However, the CBI started from scratch and did not take cognizance of the investigations carried out by the CB-CID. So, after its preliminary inquiry, the CBI added rape charges and formally arrested Manivannan on Monday.