Mar 16, 2019, 12:10 PM IST
Coimbatore: A Coimbatore court has granted the Crime Branch - Crime Investigation Department permission to take prime accused Thirunavukkarasu into custody for four days.
Thirunavukkarasu attended the court hearing via video conferencing after a huge crowd gathered outside the Coimbatore court.
Although Thirunavukkarasu was supposed to be physically present in the court, police said that a mob had gathered at the court premises. Police then sought permission for the accused to be virtually present through video conferencing.
Four persons Thirunavukkarasu, Sathish, Sabarirajan and Vasanthakumar have been accused of sexually assaulting women in Pollachi.
The four people have also been accused of filming the act and blackmailing women in return for sexual favours and money.
People across Tamil Nadu staged protests demanding justice for the victims of the abuse. Students in Coimbatore have even threatened to boycott elections if justice is not served.
The case was first reported in February by a woman who was sexually assaulted in a moving vehicle by one of the accused.
The police have since then, recovered 100s of videos from the phones and laptops of these accused.
In the course of investigation, names from the ruling AIADMK have also come up.