The CB-CID has issued summons to Thendral Manimaran (27), son of DMK’s Coimbatore rural district Secretary Thendral Selvaraj, to question him in connection with the Pollachi sexual assault case, The Hindu reported.

Manimaran was asked to appear before the Investigation Officer in Coimbatore on 28 March.

Investigators are likely to question him regarding his proximity to prime suspect Thirunavukkarasu.

The CB-CID also summoned A Nagaraj alias Muthusamy (28) of Pollachi in connection with the case. He is the AIADMK functionary expelled from the party after his alleged involvement in the case came to light.

Both of them were called for questioning based on the statement of the prime accused.

Last week the CB-CID had summoned newly appointed working president of Tamil Nadu Congress Mayura Jayakumar as part of investigation into the shocking crime.

Jayakumar was summoned by investigating agency based on allegations made by the main accused in the case, Thirunavukkarasu.

Jayakumar appeared before investigating officers 25 March.

Thirunavukkarasu told the CB-CID officers that he was with Mayura Jayakumar on 12 February, the day a college student claimed he was sexually assaulted by him and his friends.

The Pollachi sexual assault case pertains to alleged sexual abuse of more than 50 women in Pollachi by a group of men. Four accused persons in the case - Thirunavukkarasu, Sathish, Sabarirajan and Vasanthakumar - were arrested last month and Goondas Act was slapped against them last week. The incident came to light after one of the victims came forward and lodged a complaint.

Following a huge furore, Pollachi sexual assault case was transferred to the CB-CID 12 March. It was later shifted to the CBI.

Hundreds of college students, lawyers and members of women’s organisations have taken to the streets of Pollachi and other parts of Tamil Nadu demanding action against the accused.

Students have been boycotting classes and staging sit-ins demanding stringent punishment. Some institution have suspended classes for the day fearing violence.

The Opposition parties in the state led by DMK have been staging protests demanding the arrests of the perpetrators. On 12 March, a DMK-led protest at Pollachi resulted in the arrest of MP and Women’s Wing Secretary K Kanimozhi.

DMK also attempted to drag the name of the family members of Tamil Nadu Deputy Speaker Pollachi V Jayaraman in to the scandal. However Jayaraman dismissed the allegations and lodged a police complaint stating that rumours were being spread against him.

Last week, Chennai Police registered a case against Sabareesan Vedamurthy, son-in-law of DMK president M K Stalin, on the charge of fomenting rumours alleging involvement of ruling AIADMK functionaries in the issue.

Pollachi Sex Scandal

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