DMK mouthpiece flays a section of media for ‘misinformation campaign' on Vengaivayal crime

CHENNAI: The DMK mouthpiece Murasoli on Saturday flayed a section of media for their stance on the case related to the mixing of faeces in a drinking water tank located in the scheduled caste neighbourhood in Vengaivayal village and alleged that certain publications have resorted to a misinformation campaign to tarnish the image of the state government.

The newspaper editorials were ‘defaming the government' under the guise of investigative journalism, it said. "If they know the real culprits who mixed faeces in the drinking water tank (of the Scheduled Caste at Vengaivayal in Pudukkottai district), then they should have informed the trial court or investigating agency," an editorial published in the Murasoli said.

"The only thing those media outlets need is to say something to tarnish the DMK government and to project themselves as human rights activists through their writing. The DMK government does not need to shield anyone. The law has taken its course,” the article said.

The piece accused the publications of politicising the issue. The police investigation confirmed the suspects and the Crime Branch CID, which took up the investigation, had submitted before the Madras High Court that a chargesheet had been filed against three persons for allegedly contaminating the drinking water by mixing human faeces in the water tank in December 2022.

“The investigation was completed after analysing all relevant evidence, including those obtained from the mobile phones of the three suspects and several others including forensic report, medical reports, and statements of witnesses. The charge sheet was filed in the court on January 20 against all three, by the CB-CID,” the article said.

The police questioned a total of 389 witnesses in this case, cell phones of 196 people were seized, and 87 tower locations were examined. Besides, DNA tests were conducted on 31 people.

Further, the deleted images and videos from the seized phones have been recovered. The photographs taken from the top of the water tank, and the conversation on cell phones were also taken into account.

“The audio recordings of the accused talking to others are also the evidence. The voice samples of the people they spoke to have been collected. All this has been explained in detail by the government's lawyer,” it said.

“Why should the DMK government protect anyone bearing such a stigma? Ask your conscience. You will definitely get the answer,” the editorial said.