THOOTHUKUDI: The survivor in the Srivaikuntam sexual assault case, backed by the CPM-affiliated All India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA), on Sunday urged the police to investigate Srivaikuntam MLA VG Sarvanan, alleging that he is pressuring the survivor to withdraw her complaint. The MLA did not respond to multiple requests from TNIE for comment. A TVK spokesperson said the party is looking into the matter.
Srivaikuntam All Women Police had arrested TVK’s Thoothukudi west district youth wing organisers Balasubramanian and Jeyabal of Ramanathapuram for sexual assault of the survivor, who was also a TVK functionary. The alleged assault took place at Ervadi in Ramanathapuram on May 3, and the survivor lodged a complaint with the police in the first week of June.
In a press meet held at the CPM office, AIDWA state general secretary A Radhika alleged that the MLA had aided the suspects before their arrest, and told the survivor to “adjust” when she complained to him of the sexual assault. Besides, she charged that Saravanan and his supporters are threatening survivor to withdraw the sexual assault complaint and engaging in character assasination against her on social media. She urged the police to investigate the allegations against Saravanan.
The 37-year-old survivor told press persons that she approached Srivaikuntam MLA for financial support, after she suffered huge financial losses. As Saravanan has a lottery business registered in Kerala, he asked her to collect the “commission” from an agent in Ramanathapuram to manage the situation.
He told her to accompany Balasubramanian and Jeyabal, who allegedly drugged and sexually assaulted her. When she complained to the MLA, he asked to adjust and said he would find her a good job by speaking to top TVK ministers, she added.
The survivor also alleged that the Srivaikuntam AWPS inspector refused to accept her complaint till she removed the MLA’s name from it. She charged that Saravanan, district secretary for Thoothukudi west district TVK unit, expelled her from the party,
A senior police officer refuted the allegation that police had insisted she remove the MLA’s name before accepting the complaint. “She initially refused to give the complaint, but we persuaded her to file it,” he said.
