"If he is the culprit, he will be punished...": TKS Elangovan on probe into sexual harassment case against DMK youth leader

Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], May 21 (ANI): "If he is the culprit, he will be punished...": TKS Elangovan on probe into sexual harassment case against DMK youth leader
He highlighted the difference in how cases are handled in Tamil Nadu now compared to the Kodanad case during the tenure of former Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami.
"The police have taken the case up and if he is the culprit, he will be punished... Police take stringent action here in Tamil Nadu, unlike what happened in the Kodanad case during the tenure of Edappadi Palaniswami...," Elangovan told ANI.
The allegations against the DMK youth wing office bearer involve serious charges of sexual harassment and coercion, prompting the National Commission for Women (NCW) to take suo motu cognizance and urge the Tamil Nadu DGP to conduct an impartial investigation.
The accusations were first raised by the wife of the accused, who claimed that her husband, Deivaseyal, DMK youth wing functionary, Arakkonam District, Tamil Nadu, had forced girls to sleep with politicians.
The National Commission for Women (NCW), having taken suo motu cognisance of the case, has written to Tamil Nadu's Director General of Police (DGP) urging an immediate, impartial, and transparent investigation. The NCW Chairperson emphasised the need for the survivor's safety and the formation of an independent investigation team, free from political interference.
The NCW's official statement called for prompt legal action under the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and demanded an Action Taken Report and a copy of the FIR within three days.
In a post on social media website X, NCW posted, "NCW has taken suo motu cognisance of a disturbing media report titled 'DMK leader's wife alleges he forced girls to sleep with politicians', involving serious allegations of sexual harassment and coercion by a DMK youth wing office bearer. The NCW Chairperson has written to the DGP of Tamil Nadu urging an immediate, impartial, and transparent investigation."
The post continued, "The letter emphasises the need to ensure the survivor's safety, constitute an independent investigation team, prevent any political interference, and take prompt action under relevant provisions of the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. The Commission has also sought a detailed Action Taken Report along with a copy of the FIR within three days."
Earlier, issuing a clarification letter, Ranipet District Police gave clarification over the sexual allegations from a DMK functionary. Police said that the investigation revealed they were a happily married couple, and many things regarding the case were exaggerated on social media.
The letter from the Ranipet District Police clarifies a girl read, "It is being falsely claimed that the police delayed action and registered a case only after the woman approached some political parties. In reality, based on the complaint given by the said woman, a case was registered on May 10 itself at the Arakkonam All-Women Police Station, and an investigation has been ongoing since then." (ANI)