Sexual harassment case: HC admits plea by 10 women lawyers

Press Trust of India  |  Chennai 

The on Saturday admitted a plea by 10 women lawyers seeking a direction to the government to set up a fact-finding team to probe the Pollachi case.

The first bench, headed by V K Tahilramani, issued notice to the government and of Police, asking them to respond by June 7, and also directed the registry to tag the same with a similar case pending before it.

The incident pertains to a a gang allegedly trying to strip a 19-year-old woman inside a car near Pollachi, a town near Coimbatore,

recording the act and blackmailing her using the visuals.

The victim, who managed to free herself, had lodged a complaint with the police.

As reports emerged that the gang had sexually harassed many more young women and blackmailed them, the ordered a CB-CID probe and later transferred it to CBI.

The women lawyers also sought a direction to the to constitute a complaint committee, led by a and comprising office bearers of the women association and other interested women lawyers.

They suggested that the committee could be directed to make arrangements to assist women in filing complaints in sexual crimes and to extend counselling and aid to women victims.

The petitioners also sought an order to the of Police to register a criminal case against police officials concerned and mediapersons under Sections 228 (a) and 509 of the Indian Penal Code for unlawfully naming the survivor.

They requested the court to transfer the probe to a Special Investigation Team, led by a gender-sensitive officer, not below the rank of DIG, for effective investigation of the case under the supervision of the high court

The women lawyers also sought a direction to the of the to constitute a permanent complaint committee in every district headquarters, presided by a retired and comprising experienced and sensitive women lawyers, and social activists, to give counselling and assistance to victims as per the Vishaka guidelines.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

First Published: Sat, April 27 2019. 21:25 IST