Pollachi sexual assault case: A Public Prosecutor who instilled confidence in survivors

CBI team, led by Public Prosecutor, gains trust of victims in Pollachi sexual assault case, ensuring fair trial.

Several women who were victims of the chilling case of blackmail and sexual assault in Pollachi would have remained reluctant to lodge complaints in the case but for the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) team, including its Public Prosecutor. They managed to win the confidence of the survivors over time.

Initially, the local police had failed to protect the identity of the first complainant in the case, following which other victims were hesitant to speak up about the crime. After the case was transferred to the CBI, V. Surendra Mohan was appointed as the Special Public Prosecutor for the agency for the trial of the case on January 9, 2023. The trial commenced on February 24, 2023.

After the first complainant approached the police, none of the women came forward to testify against the accused in the initial period of investigation. The CB-CID, which took over the probe from the local police for a brief period, had also launched a special helpline to receive complaints and other evidence that could help the investigation.

“The survivors initially hesitated to come forward. The CBI team arranged for counsellors and other support for them. They eventually trusted the team, which led to a smooth trial,” Mr. Mohan said.

When the survivors were identified, many were hesitant to come forward. It took time for the CBI team to instill confidence in them, which eventually resulted in the deposition of eight survivors (including the first complainant), he said. Initially, the survivors also feared that their identity would be revealed during the trial. However, the CBI team took extreme care in protecting the identities of the survivors when producing them before the trial court.

The court, in its judgment order, said the Public Prosecutor, being a male officer, had efficiently performed his duties in conducting the trial of such a sensitive case. It lauded him for conducting a fair trial by adducing the best available evidence and also for providing valuable assistance to the court in arriving at the just and proper decision of the case.