CHENNAI: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) launched an investigation into the Pollachi gang-rape and sex abuse case by filing two First Information Reports (FIRs) on Friday. The first FIR pertains to the complaint filed by a girl against four suspects – Sabarirajan, Thirunavakarasu, Satheesh and Vasantha Kumar – for luring the girl into accompanying them in their car, taking her obscene videos without consent and snatching her one-sovereign gold chain. The case is being investigated by CBI Anti-Corruption Bureau Inspector K Vijaya Vaishnavi under various sections of IPC, IT Act and Section-4 of the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Woman Act, 2002.
The second FIR is based on the complaint by the brother of the girl against Senthil, Babu, Manivannan and Vasanthakumar, who allegedly waylaid him after he lodged a complaint against them. This case is being investigated by CBI sub-inspector P S Dilip Kumar.
The incident of sexual abuse surfaced after the videos of the sexual assault appeared in the public sphere. The CB-CID sleuths had told the Madras High Court that over 10 women were sexually exploited by the gang. The Coimbatore Rural police were at the receiving end of the public outcry after a top official revealed the victim’s identity to the media. Meanwhile, the case was also politicised, with various parties alleging the involvement of the sons of bigwigs.
The State first entrusted the case to the CB-CID. Later, it submitted to the demands from various quarters and handed over the case to the CBI. Governor Banwarilal Purohit accorded consent to the transfer after the State government issued an order, invoking Section-6 of the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act, 1946 (Consent of State to exercise of powers and jurisdiction).
The Director General of Police wanted the CBI to handle the cases, as the investigation involved technical issues, including analysis of Facebook data, IP logs/addresses and internet use logs, communication with Facebook service providers and other internet service providing places in various countries. Initially, the CBI probe was delayed due to technicalities, which were later ironed out.