Pollachi sexual assault case verdict triggers political war of words in TN

The Mahila Court in Coimbatore sentenced all the nine accused to life imprisonment until death for crimes including criminal conspiracy, sexual harassment, rape, gang rape, and repeated rape.

The verdict is being hailed as a victory for justice, but the case has turned into a political football, with both the DMK and AIADMK claiming to champion justice.

Also read | Pollachi sexual abuse case: Mahila court convicts all 9 accused, awards life term

The DMK portrayed the AIADMK as complicit in protecting its party members and mishandling the case, citing the early release of suspects and the leaked government order. The AIADMK, in turn, insisted that it acted decisively by arresting the accused and transferring the case to the CBI, even as it accused the DMK of politicising the issue for electoral gains.

A horrific crime

In early 2019, a 19-year-old college student in Pollachi filed a complaint saying she was sexually assaulted and blackmailed by a gang of men.

Also read: Pollachi sexual abuse case: Mahila court convicts all 9 accused, awards life term

The accused, including K Thirunavukkarasu, N Sabarirajan, N Sathish, T Vasanthakumar, and R Manivannan, reportedly lured women through social media, assaulted them in isolated locations, and recorded the acts to blackmail them for money or further sexual favours.

Investigations revealed that the gang targeted several women, including students, teachers, and doctors, with estimates suggesting over 30 victims. The discovery of multiple videos on the phones of the accused confirmed the scale of the crime, shocking the entire state and sparking widespread outrage.

Political link

The case took a political turn when it emerged that some of the accused had ties to the AIADMK, the ruling party at the time.

A Nagarajan, known as ‘Bar’ Nagaraj, a close aide of AIADMK’s Pollachi student-wing secretary K Arulanantham, was among those implicated. Arulanantham too was arrested in 2021, along with others like T Heron Paul and P Babu.

The AIADMK swiftly expelled these members, but the damage was done. The case became a rallying point for Opposition parties, particularly the DMK at that time, which accused the AIADMK government of mishandling the investigation and protecting its own.

Allegations against AIADMK govt

The DMK and other critics levelled several allegations against the AIADMK government, led by then Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS), over its handling of the Pollachi case. These accusations include:

Refusal to act promptly: The DMK alleged that the AIADMK government was slow to respond to the initial complaint in February 2019. According to reports, the Pollachi East police registered an FIR only after significant pressure from the victim’s family and the ensuing public outcry. DMK leader MK Stalin claimed that the government’s “lethargic approach” allowed key accused like Sabarirajan and Thirunavukkarasu to potentially secure bail due to procedural lapses.

Also read: Pollachi case: Stigma around sexual abuse plagues victims

Shielding party members: The involvement of AIADMK functionaries like Bar Nagaraj and Arulanantham fuelled allegations that the government was trying to protect its own. A local journalist, quoted in media reports, suggested that the police released Nagaraj early due to his political connections, indicating a cover-up.

The DMK pointed to photos of Arulanantham with AIADMK Minister SP Velumani as evidence of the party’s ties to the accused. Stalin accused the AIADMK of “conspiring to help the accused” by not following proper guidelines, such as informing the parents of those arrested under the Goondas Act.

Sensitive information leaked: A major controversy arose when a government order transferring the case to the CBI inadvertently revealed the victim’s identity, violating Supreme Court guidelines. The Madras High Court criticised this lapse, ordering the government to issue a new order without the victim’s details. The DMK alleged that this was a deliberate attempt to intimidate other victims and discourage them from coming forward.

Political pressure and CBI transfer: The case was initially handled by the Coimbatore police and later transferred to the CB-CID wing of the state police. However, public protests and mounting political pressure forced the AIADMK government to hand over the investigation to the CBI in March 2019.

Public outrage

Critics argued this transfer was delayed and only occurred due to the Opposition’s relentless campaign and public outrage.

The DMK claimed the AIADMK tried to “weaken the case” before the CBI took over. These allegations painted a picture of a government reluctant to act decisively, possibly to shield its members and avoid political fallout ahead of the 2019 parliamentary and 2021 state elections.

The AIADMK’s critics, including activists and journalists, also pointed out that the police made procedural errors, such as failing to investigate additional videos or pursue other suspects with political ties, which further delayed justice.

Triumph for survivors

On May 13, 2025, the Mahila Court in Coimbatore delivered a historic verdict, convicting all nine accused and sentencing them to life imprisonment until death. The court confirmed charges of gangrape and repeated rape, and at the same time ensuring the victims’ identities remained protected.

This ruling was widely celebrated as a triumph for the survivors, who fought courageously for over six years. However, the verdict also triggered a fierce political battle.

Also read: Will Pollachi sexual assault case dent AIADMK chances in western TN?

DMK leaders, including Chief Minister MK Stalin and MP Kanimozhi, hailed the judgment as a fulfillment of their promise to deliver justice.

Stalin accused the AIADMK of protecting a “den of criminals” and calling on those who shielded the accused to “hang their heads in shame”. Kanimozhi emphasised that the DMK’s commitment during the 2021 election campaign ensured that the culprits were punished.

AIADMK hits back

EPS hit back, claiming credit for the arrests made during his government’s tenure. He argued that his administration acted impartially by ordering a CBI investigation, which paved the way for the 2025 verdict.

EPS accused Stalin of hypocrisy, pointing to the DMK’s handling of the Anna University sexual assault case, in which the accused, Gnanasekaran, was allegedly a DMK sympathiser.

He questioned why Stalin’s government opposed a CBI probe in a related Anna Nagar POCSO case and failed to address the mysterious “Sir” mentioned in the Anna University survivor’s FIR and said, “You should be the one hanging your head in shame!”

Meanwhile, BJP leader K Annamalai praised the verdict but urged the DMK government to act swiftly in the Anna University case, emphasising the need for timely justice in all sexual violence cases.

PMK leader Anbumani called for a CBI probe into the Anna University case, suggesting that the Pollachi verdict could embolden more victims to come forward.