A few inspectors DT Next spoke to said on condition of anonymity said that a few like inspector C Pugazhendhi were bringing shame to the entire department, but expressed satisfaction that the he was brought to book without showing any leniency. “What he committed is an unpardonable offence,” said an inspector. “Black sheep like them have to be weeded out from the department,” said another.

A senior officer said the inspector already faced allegations of bribes and holding kangaroo courts. “There was proper evidence for this heinous crime,” added the officer. After the Commissioner verified the evidence and gave the nod to arrest him, suspension order was prepared and handed over to him before he was arrested.

An official part of the investigation said that the other accused Rajendran, a BJP man who is into mushroom business, arranged women for government officials for free. “Rajendran exploited the minor girl in the morning, and invited the inspector to sexually assault her in the evening,” said the officer. Rajendran’s background and source of his income are also being probed.

Another central government employee, Kameshwara Rao, who worked as a technician in Chennai Central, was also arrested. He was a customer of broker Sandhya.

Meanwhile, two more men Fazuludeen (32) and Mohammed Azaruddin (35) who raped the girl have been arrested and remanded on Tuesday.