The Tamil Nadu government submitted before the Madras High Court on Monday that it would appear that the alleged offence of rape against four tribals in Villupuram district in November last year was not made out.
In his affidavit, consequent to a court order on a writ petition, State Home Secretary, R. Rajagopal, said that medical examination was done on the victims at Government Medical College Hospital, Mundiyambakkam, on November 29 last year. The doctor who conducted the medical examination had given a report that there was no medico-legal evidence to suggest that the victims had a recent sexual intercourse. The government had paid compensation of Rs.5 lakh to each of the four women on “compassionate grounds.” Five police personnel, including the Inspector, Thirukoilur police station, had been placed under suspension.
The Home Secretary submitted: “From the report of the investigating officer, it appears that the offence of rape is not made out. However, the enquiry of the Judicial Magistrate is going on and the findings are awaited. The government will conclude its views once the findings of the judicial enquiry are available.”
He said women and children had been taken into custody by police personnel in an unwarranted manner. The government will not shield the guilty.
In a separate affidavit, Director-General of Police, K. Ramanujam, stated, “It would appear that the offence of rape is not made out.” He said the Assistant Professor, Department of Forensic Medicine, Government Villupuram Medical College, had opined that “there is no medical evidence to suggest that the victims had recent sexual intercourse”.
The Director and Professor of the Institute of Forensic Medicine, MMC, had said after analysing the documents that there was “no evidence suggestive of forceful physical restraint on the body of all the four alleged victims; there is no evidence for forceful sexual intercourse in any of the four alleged victims.”
