Chennai, June 13: Kanimozhi, the Deputy General Secretary of the DMK and a Member of Parliament, has called for a thorough investigation and strict action against those involved in a recent alleged sexual assault case in Salem, Tamil Nadu. Meanwhile, the Tamilaga Vetria Kazhagam (TVK) has distanced itself from the arrested suspect.
Kanimozhi expressed her concerns on the social media platform X, stating that it is shocking to learn that a person, reportedly linked to TVK, has allegedly threatened over 50 women and recorded obscene videos of them. She referenced the Pollachi sexual assault case, urging the government to focus on delivering justice rather than protecting the guilty.
She emphasized the need to ensure the safety of all victimized women and to guarantee them justice.
The case came to light when Salem city police arrested 40-year-old grocery store owner M. Manikandan late Friday night in Kondalampatti. He is accused of sexually assaulting a woman, recording the incident on his mobile phone, and threatening to make the video go viral on social media.
The allegations surfaced after an audio clip of the victim went viral online. In the clip, the woman accused Manikandan, who claimed to be a supporter of TVK, of sexually exploiting her and blackmailing her with the recorded video.
The woman also claimed that during her time with the accused months prior, she had seen several other women’s obscene videos on his phone. She stated that she deleted around 50 videos from his device at that time.
Following the complaint, the police registered a case and initiated an investigation, leading to the suspect’s arrest and subsequent presentation in court, where he was remanded to judicial custody.
During the investigation, police seized the suspect’s mobile phone, which reportedly contained three obscene video clips. Authorities are working to identify the women featured in these videos.
In the meantime, R.S. Manikandan, the secretary of TVK’s Salem South district, issued a statement clarifying that the arrested individual is not a member of the party’s organizational structure and holds no official position.
Police have stated that the investigation is ongoing, and they are looking into whether more women have been victimized in this incident.
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