SRIVILLIPUTHUR: M L Brite, correspondent of the Kodaikanal Public School, wanted in the case of molestation of a 14yearold girl from Bhutan, surrendered before the judicial magistrate court in Srivilliputhur in Virudhunagar district on Friday. He was remanded to 15 days of judicial custody.
Earlier on Thursday night, school principal Sheeba Paul, who is also Brite's daughter, was arrested for complicity with the 73yearold correspondent in molesting girls staying at his bungalow.
Dindigul SP M S Muthusamy told Express that the police would seek custody of Brite for interrogation, as he had gone missing since the complaint against him was lodged. Sheeba was admitted to a hospital in Nilakkottai after she complained of chest pain when she was remanded to custody by a Kodaikanal court.
Brite had filed a plea for anticipatory bail before the Madurai Bench of the High Court and Justice R Mala, before whom the petition came up on Wednesday, directed the Dindigul SP to appear in court on July 5 and file his report.
Brite was on the run after a girl residing at his house, which also doubled up as a hostel for the school students, accused him of misbehaving with her. Seventeen girl students of the Kodaikanal Public School were also staying at his house.
In keeping with the directive of the Madurai Bench of the High Court, SP Muthusamy, Kodaikanal Inspector James Jeyaraj, VAO Ponraj and others visited the school on Thursday and held inquiries. They also searched Brite's bungalow.
Later speaking to reporters, the SP revealed that since some girls had been reluctant to open up to them, he had instructed a woman police officer to make inquiries from the girls.He said 10 girl students had been medically examined. Sheeba said six girls had been taken away by their guardians. Brite has been charged with outraging the modesty of a girl and under various provisions of the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Women Act.