CBI takes up probe on Pollachi sexual abuse-cum-blackmail case

Central Bureau of Investigation registered an FIR and taken up the investigation into the Pollachi sexual abuse-cum-blackmail case, where in a woman in Pollachi town of Tamil Nadu’s Coimbatore district was sexually assaulted by a gang of men, who had shot a video of her and blackmailed her demanding money, officials said on Sunday.
A CBI source told UNI here, that the FIR was registered only after the Crime Branch Crime Investigation Department (CBCID) of the state informed Madras High Court on April 24 that it has not heard anything pertaining to the case from CBI.
CBCID also told high court that it was constrained to continue with the investigation so that the evidence is not lost.
The infamous Pollachi gang has sexually harassed and blackmailed a large number of women in Tamil Nadu which triggered an outrage in the state.
Leaders of various opposition political parties were cricticising the ruling AIAMDK government for not transferring the probe into the sexual abuse case to CBI, despite a decision to that effect was taken about 40 days ago.
According to CBI, on the issue of notification by the Government of India on April 25, the case was registered in Pollachi police station but, later was re-registered and taken up for investigation.
CBI has assigned female inspector K Vijaya Vaishnavi to investigate the case.
“Investigation Bureau has also registered another FIR which pertains to the complaint of the sexual abuse victim’s brother against five persons for assaulting him,” the source added.
This incident came to light when a video of a woman being sexually assaulted by a gang of four men went viral over social media sites. The victim, who had managed to free herself, lodged a complaint with police on February 24.
However, the case turned political when a local functionary of the ruling AIADMK allegedly attacked the victim’s brother. Since then a slew of protest demonstrations by parties including the DMK, students and the youth outfits had escalated the row, bringing more pressure on the government and police for speedy action.