New Delhi: The Madras High Court has initiated suo motu proceedings regarding the alleged sexual assault of a second-year student at Anna University, Chennai, reported to have occurred on December 23.
One individual has been arrested in connection with the case.
A division bench comprising Justices SM Subramaniam and V Lakshminarayanan took up the matter based on a submission by advocate R Varalakshmi. The bench deferred issuing immediate orders, emphasizing the need for the case to be listed by the Chief Justice.
What Court Says?
During the proceedings, the court criticized the police for revealing the victim’s identity, a lapse that prompted the adjournment of the matter to the following day at 10:30 AM.
Advocate Varalakshmi highlighted several critical shortcomings identified by the court. These included the lack of operational surveillance systems on campus and deficiencies in the investigation. She remarked, “A significant number of surveillance cameras within the university are non-functional. Furthermore, the FIR mentions another individual whose involvement has not been adequately investigated by the authorities.”
The court also questioned the effectiveness of Anna University’s Internal Complaints Committee (ICC), directing the university and law enforcement agencies to address these concerns in subsequent hearings.
The incident has sparked a political outcry. AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami has demanded the case be transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), accusing the DMK-led government of failing to maintain law and order in Tamil Nadu.
Announcing a state-wide protest on December 30, Palaniswami asserted, “Tamil Nadu is witnessing a breakdown in law and order. Crimes such as murder, sexual assault, and robbery have become distressingly frequent. In this case, the accused, allegedly linked to the DMK, roamed the university campus freely.”
More Into The Case
Palaniswami also criticized the government’s handling of harassment cases, stating, “Under Chief Minister MK Stalin’s governance, harassment incidents are escalating, often with systemic protection for the perpetrators. During our tenure, we ensured stringent punishments for such offenses.”
Adding to the criticism, Tamil Nadu BJP President K Annamalai staged a symbolic protest outside his residence by whipping himself. Explaining his actions, Annamalai said, “This demonstration is a symbolic act of dissent against the injustices occurring in the state. It reflects Tamil cultural traditions of self-penance as a form of protest.”