Coimbatore special court to pronounce verdict in Pollachi sexual assault case today

Highlights

A special court for women in Coimbatore is set to pronounce the verdict on Tuesday in the infamous Pollachi sexual assault case, six years after the incident shook Tamil Nadu.

Chennai: A special court for women in Coimbatore is set to pronounce the verdict on Tuesday in the infamous Pollachi sexual assault case, six years after the incident shook Tamil Nadu.

The case, which came to light in February 2019, involved the sexual assault and blackmail of several women, including college students, by a group of men who secretly recorded videos of the victims and used them to intimidate and extort them.

Public outrage over the scale and nature of the crime led to widespread protests and a demand for swift justice.

Initially investigated by the Pollachi East Police, the probe was handed over to the CB-CID on March 12, 2019, and subsequently transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on April 25, 2019.

The CBI arrested nine accused: K. Thirunavukkarasu (34), N. Rishwanth alias Sabarirajan (32), M. Sathish (33), T. Vasantha Kumar (30), R. Manivannan (32), Haron Paul (32), P. Babu alias Bike Babu (33), K. Arulanandham (39), and M. Arunkumar.

A chargesheet was filed on May 21, 2019, based on a complaint by a 19-year-old victim. However, procedural delays hampered progress, prompting the Madras High Court to order a transfer of the trial to the newly established Integrated Court Complex in Coimbatore for a more focused and secure hearing.

On February 14, 2023, Justice Nandhini Devi began closed-door proceedings in the Women's Court, with the accused appearing via video conferencing. After the completion of witness examinations and arguments, the court fixed May 13 as the date for the verdict.

Despite a recent judicial reshuffle relocating 77 judges, including Justice Nandhini Devi to the Karur Family Court, the Madras High Court Registrar directed her to continue presiding over the Pollachi case until the judgment is delivered.

Security has been heightened around the court complex, and the accused are expected to be physically produced before the judge by 10 a.m.

Activists and families of the survivors await the outcome with cautious optimism, hoping justice will finally be delivered in this landmark case.