HC grants pre-arrest bail to former DGP’s daughter-in-law in Pocso case

CHENNAI: The MadrasHigh Court has granted conditional anticipatory bail to the daughter-in-law of former DGP Thilagavathi, Shruti, in a Pocso case filed by the former top cop’s son over alleged sexual abuse inflicted on the estranged couple’s daughter.

Shruti and her uncle Vijay Anand moved the Madras High Court (MHC) seeking anticipatory bail in the case filed under the Pocso Act and Juvenile Justice Act.

The case was listed before Justice RMT Teekaa Raman. According to the complainant Prabhu Thilak, son of former DGP Thilagavathi, his wife Sruthi Thilak and her maternal uncle Vijay Anand abused the complainant’s minor daughter using filthy language during a visit to the petitioner’s home. Vijay Anand slapped and abused the child, contended the complainant.

A case was lodged in All Women Police Station, Vadapalani under sections 8 and 12 under the Protection of Children Against Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, and section 75 of the Juvenile Justice Act, 2012, against the petitioners.

However, the petitioners who moved the bail plea contended that the visit of the child to the petitioner’s house was videographed using a cellphone. The video shows no alleged offences made out as claimed by the complainant, said the petitioner. The petitioners also produced a copy of the video recording for the perusal of the court.

After the submission, the judge granted conditional anticipatory bail to Shruti Thilak and refused the bail petition filed by Vijay Anand.

The complainant Prabhu Thilak and petitioner Shruti Thilak were married for 14 years and separated due to a matrimonial dispute. The alleged victim is the daughter of the separated couple.