Popular Kollywood music director James Vasanthan was arrested on Sunday under the non-bailable provisions of Women Harassment Act on charges of verbally scolding a 63-year-old woman.
While police maintained that they have only acted on a written complaint, Vasanthan accused the City Commissioner of Police, George of taking undue interest in the case just because the complainant also hails from his home state.
He said “What was basically a civil dispute is being intentionally fabricated into a criminal case to coerce him. There is already a case pending between me and her (the complainant) in a court over a land dispute, Vasanthan told reporters when taken to the Alandur Judicial Magistrate court after his arrest.
Vasanthan has been booked based on a complaint of one Radha Venu Prasad (63) who is also a neighbour to him at Neelankarai.
“According to Radha’s complaint, Vasanthan used derogatory language towards her and scolded her on Saturday morning. Based on this complaint, we have booked him under section 4 of Prevention of Women Harassment Act,” said Assistant Commissioner (Neelankarai) Uma Shankar. However, Vasanthan said it was Radha who abused him and wondered how she could lodge a complaint against him.
“I have a good reputation in society and am being treated like a terrorist by the police. Around 50 police personnel surrounded my house today. They even physically manhandled me and my wife,” he told reporters.
When Vasanthan attempted to speak to reporters for the second time when he was escorted out of the court, the police personnel prevented him and rushed him into the escort vehicle. Vasanthan is likely to be remanded for judicial custody.
