Court Forms SIT to Probe Anna Univ Rape, FIR Leak

THE Madras High Court on Saturday ordered the constitution of a special investigation team (SIT) comprising three women IPS officers to probe the rape of an engineering student on the Anna University campus and the leakage/disclosure of the FIR and its contents.

- R SIVAKUMAR

Passing the order in a special sitting on two PIL petitions filed by advocate R Varalakshmi (AIADMK) and A Mohandas (BJP), a bench of Justices SM Subramaniam and V Lakshminarayanan, however, declined to order a CBI probe as sought by the petitioners. The three officers in the SIT are B Sneha Prasad, Ayman Jamal, and S Brinda, currently serving as Deputy Commissioners of Police in Chennai and Salem.

"This court found several lapses both on the part of the police and the Anna University administration and formed an opinion that the investigation must be handed over to the SIT," the bench said.

It said the SIT shall ensure no offenders go scot-free, irrespective of their official position and social hierarchy. Ordering the state to pay ₹25 lakh as interim compensation to the survivor, who was subjected to twin trauma of sexual assault and the leak of the FIR and her identity, the court directed the university to ensure that she completes her education in the same institution without having to pay any fees. The bench said the interim compensation must be recovered from the officials who were responsible for leaking the FIR and also directed departmental action against those officials.