Madras HC directs CBI to file copy of final report in Pollachi sexual harassment case before it

The Madras High Court on Wednesday directed the CBI to file before it a copy of the final investigation report in the Pollachi sexual harassment case once it was submitted in the jurisdictional court. Hearing a batch of petitions, including a plea seeking monitoring of the case by the high court, it also ordered the investigating agency to furnish copies of the report to the petitioners' counsel.

The case related to sexual abuse of several women by a gang in Pollachi in Coimbatore district which came to light in February after a victim lodged a police complaint. When the matter came up before first bench comprising acting Chief Justice Vineet Kothari and Justice C Saravanan, the Central Bureau of Investigation submitted that a charge sheet had already been filed on May 23 in the court of chief judicial magistrate in Coimbatore and five accused were arrested.

The agency said some videos which were recovered from the mobile phones of the accused were being scanned and the final report would be filed in the competent court after the completion of the probe, the agency said. The court then adjourned the PIL petitions, seeking various relief, including setting up of a fact finding team and monitoring of the probe, to November 4 for further hearing.

A gang of four men on February 12 allegedly tried to strip a 19-year-old woman inside a car near Pollachi, over 500 km from here, and had recorded the act and blackmailed her using the visuals. Later during probe, it emerged that several other women had been sexually harassed by the gang.

Amid mounting public outrage, the Tamil Nadu government in March transferred the case to the CBI.

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