Watch: Kamal Haasan questions TN govt over Pollachi sexual assault case

Chennai: Actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan attacked the ruling AIADMK government of Tamil Nadu and questioned the silence of the ministers and top leaders in the Pollachi sex abuse case.

In a video posted on his Twitter, Haasan said, “This is a country where gods lived and fought if something happened to their wives. How are you going to wipe the insult made to your Amma Mr Edappadi K Palaniswami." Haasan was referring to ex Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalitha.

"When Nirbaya incident happened, Former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalitha released a statement that sexual incidents against women should be considered as rarest of rare case and will be investigated by high-level police officers. How does this government who ruled in name of Amma remain silent?" Haasan said.

He further questioned the police administration for its careless handling of the case by revealing the name of the survivor. “The SP who is investigating the case has admitted that he revealed the name of the survivor by mistake in a press conference. Don't you think he went against the law but the government is also silent about it."

“The survivor's video is leaked. But, how is it leaked when the police are saying that the accused have deleted the videos? Who released these videos and for what reason?” he asked Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu Palaniswami adding that there is a "limit" for everything.

"You carry Jayalalithaa's picture in your pocket but what have you done for safety of women? Why is the government silent on the Coimbatore Superintendent of Police naming the woman, who had filed a complaint? How were the videos leaked?" Kamal Haasan said.

Stressing that he is questioning the government as a politician but as a father of two daughters, Haasan said: "I want to know as what you're going to do to correct all these missteps? How will you assure all those women who are scared that their video will be released, if they file a complaint? Why and what are you waiting for? Are you waiting for the elections to be over?"

Opposition parties have also slammed the police officer and the home secretary for naming the sole complainant during a press conference.

However, Hassan was the first one to flag the massive sex abuse case last week.

As opposition DMK and Kamal Hasaan's Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) continued to question and attack the ruling government, the AIADMK expelled a party worker, A Nagaraj, earlier this week for allegedly being linked to the case.

AIADMK claimed that no leader was linked to the scandal and the opposition was trying to tarnish the image of the party before the elections.

Chief Minister E Palaniswami is yet to comment on the case.

Eight men were arrested in Coimbatore for sexually harassing women in their twenties. The men targeted the college students. They would first sent messages on social media and later invite them for dinners and long drives.

According to police, the men would "first win their confidence" and later lure them to secluded spots and molest them. The accused allegedly filmed the women being molested and used the videos to blackmail them for money.

In Pollachi sex scandal, more than fifty women were lured and sexually harassed by a gang of four and the acts were video-graphed.

Four accused persons identified as Sabarirajan, Sathish, Thirunavukarasu, and Vasan Kumar were arrested in the case. The expelled AIADMK functionary, Nagaraj, who is one of the accused in the assault case.

The Crime Branch of Chennai Police on Thursday registered an FIR against DMK president MK Stalin’s son-in-law Sabareesan, is one of the accused in the assault case.

Meanwhile, students of Madurai government medical college on Thursday protested against the Pollachi sexual assault case and demanded a special tribunal consisting of a female judge for crimes against women.