CHENNAI: AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami on Friday questioned the contradictions in the statements of Chennai City Police Commissioner A Arun and Higher Education Minister Govi Chezhiaan regarding the sexual assault of a student of Anna University. He reiterated his party’s demand for a CBi investigation in the case.
Addressing a press conference at the AIADMK headquarters, Palaniswami said, “The police commissioner said the affected student complained to the POSH cell while the higher education minister contradicted this saying the student had directly complained with the police and not through POSH cell”.
Pointing out that the commissioner had cited a “technical glitch” for the leak of the FIR, Palaniswami asked, “How can affected people lodge complaints to the police if this is the state of affairs?” Referring to speculations that there was another person involved in the case, Palaniswami condemned the police for trying to hide the identity of that individual.
It may be noted that the commissioner had said on Thursday that the investigation had not revealed the involvement of any other person till then. Palaniswami questioned how Gnanasekaran, with multiple cases against him, managed to get access to Anna University where thousands of female students are studying. “Parents are afraid of their daughters’ safety in Anna University,” he alleged.
Referring to the statement of Arun that only 56 of the 70 CCTVs in Anna University were working, Palaniswami said, “Shame on the government for this state of affairs in a university.” He announced that AIADMK cadre would stage demonstrations across the state, except Chennai, on December 30, condemning the sexual assault.
BJP state president K Annamalai also questioned the contradictions between the statements of the commissioner and the minister. “If the DMK government intends to divert the sexual assault case, we can only think that the government has a link in the crime,” he said.