Anna Univ sexual assault case: CoP addressing media not against rules, says TN Law Minister

CHENNAI: With the Madras High Court coming down heavily on the Greater Chennai Police Commissioner for addressing the media in the Anna University student's sexual assault case and wondering if the All India Service Rules allowed it, the State government has come in support of Commissioner A Arun.

Referring to the High Court bench’s observations about the Commissioner's media address, Law Minister S Regupathy said in a social media post, "As far as AIS rules, 1968, are concerned, there is nothing wrong with the Commissioner's media address."

Earlier in the day, a division bench of the Madras High Court issued a slew of directions to the Tamil Nadu government, including initiating appropriate action against the Chennai city police commissioner for holding a press conference.

Commissioner ADGP Arun held the press conference without obtaining consent from the State government, said the court, and added that he disclosed unwarranted facts about the investigation into the sexual assault, which, it said, would hamper the inquiry.

According to the minister, it was the technical glitch in the CCTNS portal that enabled the First Information Report (FIR) to be downloaded.

Kotturpuram All Women Police Station (AWPS) has booked the accused, Gnanasekaran under eight sections, including 63 (a), 64 (1) (rape); 75 (1) (sexual harassment); 127 (2) (wrongful confinement); and 351 (3) (criminal intimidation) of BNS; and sections 67 and 67 (A) of the Information Technology Act.