AIADMK ex-minister’s PSO, assistant quizzed

CHENNAI: The personal security officer (PSO) and the assistant of the former AIADMK minister Manikandan appeared before the Adyar all-women police station on Wednesday. The two -- police officer Gowreeswaran and assistant Saravanapandian -- were questioned separately by the police team as part of an investigation into the complaint of sexual harassment and rape by a female actor against the former minister.

The actor had lodged a complaint with the city police on May 28 stating that the former minister, after promising to marry her, had sexually exploited her and also forcefully made her abort pregnancy thrice at a private hospital at Gopalapuram.

Police had been conducting enquiries with doctors, personnel staff of the former minister as part of collecting evidence after they registered an FIR against him on May 30.

Police said Manikandan and his aide Bharani were booked under various sections of IPC, and Section 67A of the IT Act.

High Court refuses to extend stay on Manikandan’s arrest

Meanwhile, the Madras High Court on Wednesday rejected a plea from the counsel for M Manikandan, who was apprehending arrest following registration of the sexual harassment complaint, to extend the operation of a direction of another judge directing the police to not arrest him till June 9.

While entertaining the criminal original petition from Manikandan seeking anticipatory bail and ordering notice to the parties, Justice R Subramanian on June 2 had adjourned the matter till June 9. Till then the petitioner should not be arrested, the judge had said.

As the judge did not mention the date of delivery of judgment and anything about the extension of the earlier order not to arrest Manikandan, his counsel specifically prayed for a direction to instruct the All Women police in Adyar not to arrest him till then. The judge, however, did not heed the request.

Earlier, opposing grant of any relief to the former minister, the counsel representing the police told the judge that the investigation was at the preliminary stage and that his arrest and interrogation in police custody was necessary.

“If let out, the former minister, a powerful person, is likely to tamper with the witnesses,” he added.

Police told the judge that the probe was at preliminary stage and his arrest and interrogation in police custody was necessary. If let out, the former minister, a powerful person, is likely to tamper with witnesses