CBI starts probe into Pollachi case

Chennai, April 27 (IANS) The CBI has registered two cases and started investigation in Pollachi sexual harassment case in Tamil Nadu in which a college girl alleged that two of her friends along with two other associates sexually assaulted her and clicked a video, threatening to upload it on the internet, the agency said on Saturday.

The first FIR is based on the sexual harassment and snatching of gold chain reported in Coimbatore district on February 12. The second FIR is related to assault on victim's brother on February 26 towards near the town.

The victim on February 24 complained to Tamil Nadu Police that Thirunavukarasu, Sabarirajan, Satheesh and Vasanthakumar forcibly removed the clothes from her upper body part in a car and clicked a video, the CBI FIR said.

As per the FIR, the victim alleged that they also snatched her gold chain and forced her to make physical relation with them, threatening her to upload the video on internet.

The second FIR is based on the statement of the victim's brother who had complained to the Tamil Nadu Police that Senthil, Babu, Mani and Vasanthakumar on February 26, two days after his sister lodged a complaint, assaulted him when he was going on a two-wheeler near his house in Pollachi.

The agency registered the FIRs on Friday under various charges, including sexual harassment, assault or use of criminal force on woman, sections related to the IT Act and criminal intimidation.

In the two first FIRs, the CBI named eight persons identified as Sabarirajan, Thirunavukarasu, Satheesh, Vasanthakumar, Senthil, Babu, Mani and Vasanthakumar.

Earlier, Tamil Nadu Police registered two separate cases -- one on February 24 and other on February 26.

The CBI took over the cases on the direction of the Cenrte following request from the Tamil Nadu government.