Sexual abuse of Rajasthani women in police booth confirmed

CHENNAI: In a damning admission of guilt, the Hosur police constable accused of sexually assaulting two Rajasthani women and two children has confessed that he had indeed illegally detained the victims and beat them with a lathi before molesting and robbing them on October 8.
This admission prompted the first bench of the Madras high court comprising Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice M M Sundresh to order Rs 3 lakh each as compensation, to be paid by the Tamil Nadu government within a month.The judges also called for a compliance report on February 16.
The matter relates to a PIL filed by All India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA) president U Vasuki demanding Rs 5 lakh compensation for the victims, besides a CB-CID probe into the incident.
According to her, the Rajasthani women selling plastic goods at Hosur bus stand were taken to a police booth by constable A Vadivelu. There he sexually assaulted them, and took away Rs 3,000 from them, she said. Higher officials were insensitive to the incident, and following a complaint, a revenue divisional officer held an inquiry and the two girls aged 12 and 13 years were taken to police station for inquiry in violation of rules, she said.
During the last hearing, the court was informed that the matter was now being investigated by the CB-CID, and that constable Vadivelu has been compulsorily retired from service in connection with another complaint. On Tuesday, CB-CID filed a report saying Vadivelu was arrested on December 29 and he has been lodged in a sub-jail in Hosur.
The report confirmed the allegations, and said: “CB-CID investigation ascertained that on October 8, at about 4pm, constable Vadivel picked up the victim women, and their relative’s (girl) children aged about 12 years and 13 years, on suspicion. It is also ascertained that he took them to police control room at Hosur police station, and in the guise of interrogation or examination, he beat them with lathi, touched their body, outraged their modesty and forcibly robbed their money.”
Noting that Vadivel had admitted to his guilt in the presence of witnesses, the report said crucial material had been recovered from his possession. Krishnagiri judicial magistrate-II is scheduled to record the statements of the victims on January 8 and conduct test identification parade on January 9.
As for the quantum of compensation to the victims, the first bench rejected the government’s offer of Rs 1 lakh. Citing a November 30, 2013 government order which said victims of custodial rape would get a compensation of Rs 3 lakh, the judges said: “The amount be paid within one month.” Noting that it would be the court’s final order in the PIL, the judges said they would continue to monitor the case till the chargesheet is filed in the sexual harassment case.