Mugilan remanded in 15 days’ custody in rape case

Environmental activist RS Mugilan, who was recently arrested in a case of sexual harassment, was produced before a Karur district court Magistrate amidst tight police security late on Tuesday and was later remanded in judicial custody for 15 days.

A social activist and coordinator of Cauvery Conservation Committee, Mugilan reportedly went missing since February 15 when he boarded a train after screening a fact-finding report on the anti-Sterlite factory protests to the media in Chennai the previous day.

Activists soon raised their voice of concern for Mugilan, and the Student Federation Coordinator, Layola Mani, lodged a complaint with the Egmore police in which he claimed that Mugilan was kidnapped by the people associated with the Sterlite protests. The case was subsequently transferred to the CB-CID and a search was on to trace the activist.

Meanwhile, Mugilan was reportedly rescued from Tirupati on July 7, after nearly five months of him having gone missing and was handed over to the CB-CID at Kadpadi railway station.

The police arrested Murugan based on the backdrop of a woman from Namakkal district lodging a complaint with the Kulithalai All Women Police Station on March 30 stating that she was sexually assaulted by activist Mugilan.

Meanwhile, Mugilan was produced before the Egmore Judicial Magistrate Court on Tuesday but the Magistrate, AM Ravi, asked the police to produce him in Karur court as the case was registered in the jurisdiction. Subsequently, he was taken to the Karur court amidst tight security and was produced before him late night on Tuesday. Supporters of Mugilan had converged in a large number there then.

In order to avoid any untoward incident, the movement of the public in the court was restricted and the police barred access to the media too. Mugilan was then rushed to the residence of the Karur Judicial Magistrate, Vijaykarthik. The Magistrate then ordered to detain him under judicial custody for 15 days. While coming out, Mugilan raised slogans against Sterlite and his supporters also raised slogans in support.

Mugilan’s wife Poongodi, who was present in the Karur court premises when he was being produced before the Magistrate late on Tuesday, told media that the case of sexual harassment was foisted by the police on Mugilan who was fighting for a good cause and trying to save the environment.

Poongodi, who was allowed to meet Mugilan for a few minutes amidst tight police security, charged that both the government and the Sterlite administration had given false charges to prevent her husband from fighting for a good cause. “He fought for you (people) and did nothing more than that. Is it a crime to fight for the people and to protest against anti-people activities?” Poongodi asked. The charge was merely a threat by the police who had demanded from him the CD released against Sterlite corporation, she said. “They tortured my husband. They even sent dogs to feast on him and refused him even first aid,” Poongodi said, adding that they would face all charges legally.