NCW steps in after explosive sexual exploitation allegations against DMK youth leader; demands swift, impartial probe amid growing political storm.
Chennai: Taking suo motu cognizance of a disturbing media report titled ‘DMK leader’s wife alleges he forced girls to sleep with politicians' in Arakkonam, the National Commission of Women (NCW) chairperson, Vijaya Kishore Rahatkar has written to the Tamil Nadu DGP urging ‘immediate, impartial and transparent investigation.’
Urging the DGP to ensure the survivor’s safety, the NCW has also sought a detailed Action Taken Report along with the copy of the FIR within three days in the light of the grave nature of the accusation and the political affiliations of the accused, a NCW post on its social media account said on Wednesday.
Since the media report involved serious allegation of sexual harassment and coercion by a DMK youth wing office bearer, the NCW letter emphasized on the need to constitute an independent investigation team, prevent any political interference and take prompt action under the relevant provisions of the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.
The victim, a college student, had alleged that her husband, R Deivaseyal, a DMK youth wing office-bearer in Ranipet district, had asked her to do sexual favours to DMK leaders and that he had about 20 girls in their 20s under his control.
After the issue created a sensation in social media, the Ranipet district police came up with a clarification and said the girl who filed the complaint with the Arakkonam All-women police station was married to the accused Deivaseyal of Kavanoor region.
Investigations revealed that both Deivaseyal and the woman who filed the complaint had not obtained divorces from their previous spouses before getting married in January and started living together. The woman’s divorce case was pending in court, the police had said.
Former BJP State president K Annamalai, urging the State government to cooperate with the NCW, alleged that the local police had not arrested the accused though it had been claiming to have registered the case based on the victim’s complaint on May 10 itself.
He also said that the police had leaked the evidence provided to them by the victim to the DMK’s social media channels.
The AIADMK held a protest at Arakkonam demanding action against the culprit and likened the episode to the Pollachi sexual scandal that rocked the State in 2019.
The verdict on the Pollachi case that came recently awarded life sentences to all the nine men who stood trial, while Rs 25 lakh was given as compensation by the government to each of the victims, over and above the compensation ordered by the court.
