KANCHEEPURAM: The Machcheshwara Peruman temple priest, Devanathan who had surrendered to Kancheepuram judicial magistrate I on Monday, was handed over to the police on Wednesday for two days’ custody until Thursday evening.
Siva Kanchi police inspector Pattabhiraman had filed an affidavit before Magistrate Sudha seeking seven days’ custody of Devanathan because police “have to verify important evidence and other proof related to the case”.
Pattabhiraman told the court that “Devanathan had sexual intercourse with a number of women on temple premises”and sections 253(A) (want only giving provocation with intent to cause riot) and 506 Part I (criminal intimidation) have been added to the FIR in addition to the earlier charge under section 295A (Deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings or any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs).
He also gave an undertaking to the court that he would not harm the accused in any way. Magistrate Sudha asked Devanathan if he was willing to go with the police. The priest said that he was not willing to hand over himself to the police.
Defence lawyer Tamil Selvan questioned the very foundation of the cause. He said: “We are talking about a case on the basis of a news report in a by-weekly magazine, and no one knows, when the imagined incidents took place, where it took place, and if the video in question is captured on the mobile phone. We also do not know who is the owner of the phone, and who transferred the sexual footage to the CD from the phone.”
Later, Pattabhiraman told Express Senthil Kumar, who allegedly had taken copies of the sexual footages and circulated them, had been taken to custody by the Tambaram police and their findings would be sent to Kancheepuram on Thursday.