Chennai: In the 2019 Pollachi sexual assault and extortion case, a sessions court in Tamil Nadu's Coimbatore convicted all nine accused on grounds of committing gangrape and repeated rape.

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) spokesperson Saravanan Annadurai welcomed the Mahila Court verdict in Coimbatore in which all accused were sentenced to life imprisonment.

Speaking to the press, Annadurai said that was a fight carried out by so many people, including the DMK party. He said, "We fought against the way the then AIADMK government tried to scuttle the investigation. They didn't even register an FIR when these allegations came out because the people involved belonged to the AIADMK party. After relentless protests by DMK, it was transferred to the CBI."

Echoing similar sentiments, Tamil Nadu Social Welfare and Women's Rights Minister, Geetha Jeevan also hailed the verdict. She termed the decision to sentence Pollachi sex offenders to life imprisonment until death to be a ‘welcome move’.

Speaking to the press, Jeevan said, "Justice has been done in the Pollachi rape case. The victims have got justice. I commend the women who were determined to punish the culprits. This verdict has created confidence among the people and women. I commend the CBI and police officers who kept the victims' secrets. This verdict will create fear in the perpetrators and their accomplices. This verdict will reduce sexual crimes."

Highlighting the loopholes in the system, she alleged that the people in charge back in the day were incapable of registering a case even after a complaint was filed regarding the crime. She also claimed Pollachi to be a witness to the ‘evil regime’.

"Only after Chief Minister Stalin took charge did he launch a fierce legal struggle and register a case. Similarly, the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu is giving great importance to the protection of women and children," she asserted.

This follows the conviction of all nine accused in the Pollachi sexual assault and rape case by Women's Court Judge Nandhini Devi on Tuesday, May 13.

The nine guilty are Thrunavukkarasu, Sabarirajan, Sathish, Vasanthakumar, Manivannan, Heranpal, Babu, Arulanandam, and Arunkumar. They were convicted under IPC Sections 34 read with 376D (gang rape), 376(2)(n) (repeated rape), 366 (kidnapping), 354-A (sexual harassment), and 354-B (use of criminal force to disrobe a woman), 370 (trafficking for sexual exploitation), and 509 (insulting the modesty of a woman), as well as Section 4 of the TNPHW Act (abetment of harassment of women), and Sections 66E and 67 of the IT Act (related to the illegal circulation of obscene and private content).

About the case: The Pollachi sexual assault case refers to a case of rape and extortion of several women by a dangerous and heinous gang in Pollachi, Coimbatore. The criminals would lure females into isolated places after befriending them on social media platforms, sexually assault them and record the act, videos of which were later used to blackmail the women for sexual favours or money. The gang was exposed after the family of a 19-year-old came out and said that she had been sexually assaulted and blackmailed.