CHENNAI: The police have informed the Madras High Court that the special investigation team (SIT) is probing allegations of cover-up in the sexual assault complaints against Gem Granites chairman R Veeramani. It also informed the court that more victims are coming forward with complaints of child sexual assault and the SIT is looking into the larger angle and important issues.
Additional public prosecutor (APP) Arun Anbumani made the submission before Justice V Lakshminarayanan on Tuesday during the hearing of the petition filed by Tulir Charitable Trust, an NGO working for the welfare of victims of child sexual assault. The NGO prayed for action to remove the video recording of the child sexual exploitation and abuse material (CSEAM) and images and prevent the media and other platforms from further publication and broadcast.
“In fact, there is an allegation to that effect (cover-up) and the materials also point to it to certain extent; we are taking action,” the APP said. When the judge pointedly asked about suppression of the crime, the APP replied, “We are looking into all angles.”
He stated the police under the current government came to know of the child sexual assault case only after the special court for Pocso Act cases ordered further investigation and not through media reports. “All credit to the judge (Padma, of special court); but for her, this would have been given a silent burial. Nobody would have known about it. Immediately, we swung into action,” the APP said.
He said the SIT has already registered four FIRs and three more victims have come forward with complaints. The APP, further, said the police want the young victims to come forward. “We want the media to be more cautious in disseminating the news on the crime,” the APP said.
Advocate Deepika Murali, representing Tulir, emphasised that the media is duty bound to report to the concerned authorities the child sexual assault offences if they come across or receive such videos.
Stating that the rights of the media cannot override the rights of the victims of child sexual assault, she said the provisions of Pocso Act and the connected rules prohibit publication and broadcasting of sexually explicit videos of children disclosing the victims’ identity.
Senior counsel Mahesh Jethmalani, appearing for Republic TV, submitted that the media have every right to report such offences and the rights for reporting and debating cannot be curtailed.
He said the identities of the children were adequately blurred while broadcasting the videos and images.
The court adjourned the arguments to Wednesday.