After the arrests, DMK president MK Stalin on Wednesday questioned the AIADMK over its member’s involvement in the crime.
The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) expelled its Pollachi youth wing Town secretary, Arulanantham, following his arrest by the CBI in the Pollachi sexual assault and extortion case on Wednesday. AIADMK party coordinator O Panneerselvam and AIADMK co-coordinator Edappadi K Palaniswami on Wednesday issued a statement expelling Arulanantham from primary membership of the party and said he had functioned against the ideology and tainted the party.
Apart from Arulanantham, the CBI arrested two others, Keronbal and Babu, reportedly after two more women recorded their statements against the accused in connection with the larger sexual assault case. The arrest of the AIADMK member gains significance since there were allegations earlier that party members were being shielded from arrest. Four people- Sabarirajan, Thirunavukkarasu, Sathish and Vasanthkumar – were arrested by the CBI in 2019 and are currently in custody.
After the latest arrests, DMK president MK Stalin on Wednesday questioned the AIADMK over its member’s involvement in the crime.
“Till date the voice of the woman saying ‘Brother, please don’t hit me’ tears our hearts. The sexual assaults were carried out by people connected with AIADMK and with the support of the party,” Stalin tweeted, referring to an audio clipping of one of the survivors.
Stalin also alleged that AIADMK MLA Pollachi Jayaraman was closely related to the accused Arulanantham. Stalin alleged, “The CBI has currently arrested Arulanantham, Keronbal and Babu. In this, Arulanantham is Pollachi AIADMK Town student secretary, who is the shadow of district secretary Krishnakumar and Arulanantham was brought up by ‘Pollachi Jayaram.”
However, AIADMK MLA from the constituency Pollachi Jayaram denied any contact with Arulanantham.
On further action, the DMK president said, “The arrested persons should not receive bail immediately. The CBI should investigate and arrest everyone who has links with AIADMK’s leadership and provide punishment. The state should be committed to provide protection for women.”
The DMK women’s wing president Kanimozhi also took to social media to hit out at AIADMK party and the accused. Kanimozhi said, “DMK has been constantly flagging the involvement of AIADMK in the Pollachi case. Today the arrest of AIADMK’s Pollachi town secretary of student’s wing and two other members have proved the same.”
“If the case has been investigated by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami’s government, will the arrests have been carried out?” she asked.
Source: The News Minute