HC denies bail to accused in sexual harassment case

Court says the offence involved in the case is of serious nature

Considering the serious nature of the offence in the Nagercoil sexual harassment case, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has dismissed the bail petition filed by Thangapandian, father of Kasi, the main accused.

The case of the prosecution is that the first accused, Kasi alias Suji, had befriended women from affluent families. After getting into their confidence, he would establish physical intimacy with them, record the act on mobile phone and threaten them. He extracted several lakhs of rupees from the victims.

It was submitted that the CB-CID had recovered a laptop and a mobile phone from the accused. After they were referred to a forensic science laboratory, around 1,900 obscene photographs and 400 videos were recovered from them.

According to the investigating agency, around 120 girls were exploited in a similar manner and only a few of them had come forward as witnesses in the case. It was submitted that the accused were trying to delay the trial in the case and the victims could get demoralised.

Justice B. Pugalendhi observed that considering the serious nature of the offence involved in the case and that the evidence of the victims had not been recorded yet, the court was not inclined to consider the bail application.

Meanwhile, in another case related to moneylending, the court granted bail with certain conditions to Thangapandian. He was booked by Nagercoil police under various provisions of the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Charging Exorbitant Interest Act and the Indian Penal Code.

The case of the prosecution was that a person had borrowed money from Thangapandian. It was said that a two-wheeler was pledged as security. Subsequently, the amount was said to have been repaid. However, Thangapandian said the entire amount was not repaid. It was said that the two-wheeler was not returned.