In the notorious Pollachi gang rape case that sparked widespread outrage across the country in 2019, justice has finally been delivered with the conviction and sentencing of nine individuals, following a probe and charges filed by the CBI.
The case took six years to deliver justice for the survivors, most of whom were young women, including college students. This harrowing scandal first came to light when a 19-year-old college student from a village near Pollachi was bold enough to lodge a complaint with the police. She told police that she had gotten into the car of one Sabarirajan, a social media acquaintance, who began kissing her in front of three of his friends. She managed to flee and informed her brother, who, along with his friends, assaulted the gang. Police interference during this clash opened a Pandora’s box of crimes.
The case, which sent shockwaves across Tamil Nadu, involved the sexual assault of college students and other women on 24 February 2019, along with the clandestine circulation of obscene videos to intimidate the victims. The then-opposition DMK politically exploited the case to corner the AIADMK government led by Edappadi K. Palaniswami.
Initially investigated by local police who bungled the case by publicly revealing personal information of the victims, it was transferred to CB-CID on 12 March 2019 due to little progress and mishandling. It was later handed over to the CBI.
According to survivors, the gang—mostly youths—lured several girls and women, including college students, with false promises of marriage, taking them to secluded locations and farmhouses owned by one of the accused, where they were gang-raped over a prolonged period. The acts were video-recorded to blackmail the girls. Some of the videos showed the gang physically assaulting girls who resisted their sexual advances.
After taking over the investigation, the CBI swung into action and arrested nine individuals, identified as K Thirunavukkarasu (34), N Rishwanth alias Sabarirajan (32), M Sathish (33), T Vasantha Kumar (30), R Manivannan (32), T Haronimous P Paul (32), P Babu alias Bike Babu (33), K Arulanandham (39), and M Arunkumar. They are alleged to have masterminded the assaults and subsequent blackmail. The nine men, who have been in custody since their arrest in 2019, were prosecuted for multiple offences, including criminal conspiracy, sexual harassment, rape, gang rape, and repeated rape of the same woman.
The in-camera trial began in February 2023 with utmost sensitivity and tight security for victims and witnesses, ensuring none of them turned hostile. A charge sheet was filed in the Coimbatore Women’s Court on 21 May 2019. On 14 February 2023, Justice R. Nandhini Devi commenced witness testimony behind closed doors, with all accused appearing via video link in accordance with the judge’s orders.
Following the completion of prosecution and defence arguments, Justice Nandhini Devi announced that the verdict would be pronounced on 13 May. On that day, she sentenced the nine men to life imprisonment after convicting them earlier for their involvement. The quantum of punishment was announced around 12 pm, sentencing all nine accused to life imprisonment for rape, gang rape, criminal intimidation and criminal conspiracy. The court also directed the District Legal Services Authority to provide Rs 85 lakh compensation to the victims. In addition, the convicted were fined amounts ranging from Rs 35,000 to Rs 40,000.
Soon after the verdict, Public Prosecutor Surender told the media that, in addition to the victims’ testimonies, the prosecution presented solid video evidence. He said, “Even deleted videos were retrieved. Forensic tests confirmed the location and time of the recordings. Forty-eight witnesses were examined during the trial, and none of them turned hostile.”
Hailing the verdict, CM M. K. Stalin said in an X post, “The verdict is a win for justice,” and took a swipe at the AIADMK. “Justice has been served for the crimes committed by the immoral AIADMK functionary and other culprits. Those ‘sirs’ who tried to shield that political tent of criminals should hang their heads in shame—if they have any dignity.”
பொல்லாத அ.தி.மு.க. நிர்வாகி உள்ளிட்ட குற்றவாளிகளால் நிகழ்த்தப்பட்ட பெருங்கொடுமைக்கு நீதி கிடைத்திருக்கிறது!
அ.தி.மு.க. குற்றவாளி அடங்கிய கூடாரத்தைப் பாதுகாக்க முயற்சித்த ‘சார்’கள் மானமிருந்தால் வெட்கித் தலைகுனியட்டும்! https://t.co/lG3uWR7yYp
— M.K.Stalin (@mkstalin) May 13, 2025
Hitting back at CM Stalin, AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami said in an X post, “It was my government that arrested those criminals. Unlike you, I did not try to shield anyone because of political loyalty to the DMK. I ordered a CBI probe to ensure an impartial investigation. Now that justice has been served, don’t stick your label on it as you always do, @Stalin! Who should hang their heads in shame?”
அந்த குற்றவாளிக் கூடாரத்தை கைது செய்தது எனது அரசு.
உங்களைப் போல் திமுக அனுதாபி என்பதால் காப்பாற்றத் துடிக்கவில்லை. நடுநிலையோடு CBI விசாரணைக்கு உத்தரவிட்டேன். அதற்கான நீதியே
இன்று கிடைத்துள்ளது.வழக்கம் போல உங்கள் ஸ்டிக்கரைத் தூக்கிக் கொண்டு வராதீர்கள் @mkstalin!
யார்… https://t.co/xlCfNEeGY2
— Edappadi K Palaniswami-SayYEStoWomenSafety&AIADMK (@EPSTamilNadu) May 13, 2025
EPS also criticised Stalin for appealing to the Supreme Court against the CBI probe into the sexual assault of a 13-year-old girl in Chennai, and for spending taxpayers’ money to engage top lawyers.
Former Tamil Nadu BJP Chief K. Annamalai said in his X post, “I hail the verdict giving life term to all nine in the Pollachi gang rape case that rocked Tamil Nadu. I hope this will at least give some succour to the survivors who courageously fought for over six years to ensure the perpetrators were punished. I thank all who stood for justice. I am confident that the DMK government will take necessary steps to ensure justice without delay to the Anna University student and in other cases involving sexual assault of women and girls.”
தமிழகத்தை உலுக்கிய பொள்ளாச்சி பாலியல் வழக்கில், குற்றவாளிகள் அனைவருக்கும் சாகும் வரை ஆயுள் தண்டனை அளிக்கப்பட்டிருக்கும் தீர்ப்பு வரவேற்கத்தக்கது.
கடந்த ஆறு ஆண்டுகளுக்கும் மேல், துணிச்சலாகப் போராடி, குற்றவாளிகளுக்குத் தகுந்த தண்டனை பெற்றுத் தந்துள்ள பாதிக்கப்பட்ட சகோதரிகள்…
— K.Annamalai (@annamalai_k) May 13, 2025
One of the accused, Thirunavukkarasu, had a WhatsApp group named ‘TN41 Attack Boys’, where he posted details about targeted girls, their activities, and plans, as well as videos of molestation and rape—mostly committed at his farmhouse.
