Tamil Nadu: Vengaivayal atrocity case transferred to Pudukottai Magistrate

The CBI-CID recently submitted its report saying that the crime did not fall under the purview of the SC/ST Act as the accused were identified as Dalits.
Written by:TNM Staff
The Vengaivayal atrocity case was transferred from the SC/ST special court to the Pudukottai district magistrate court on Monday, February 3. The judge accepted the CB-CID’s petition for transfer, while instructing lawyers representing the accused to obtain a copy of the chargesheet from the magistrate court. The case relates to the dumping of human faeces in an overhead drinking water tank at Vengaivayal, a Dalit village, in Pudukottai district in 2022.
The case was transferred as the CB-CID in its chargesheet said that the accused behind the crime were three Dalits, who allegedly had personal enmity with the Panchayat president. They argued that the crime did not fall under the purview of the SC/ST Act, and therefore should not be heard in a special court, The Times of India reported.
The CB-CID has named three accused – J Muraliraja (32), B Sudharshan (20), and K Muthukrishnan (22).
The chargesheet claims that the three men sought revenge against Padma, the Panchayat head of Mutukadu village, and her husband Muthaiah. The alleged motive was tied to the dismissal of Shanmugam, a tank operator who distributed water to Vengaivayal. Shanmugam’s removal had reportedly angered the Vengaivayal residents, who unsuccessfully petitioned Padma and Muthaiah for his reinstatement.
The accused filed a petition seeking copies of the final report, while the complainant, Kanagaraj, contested the removal of SC/ST Act provisions, alleging that it was done without intimation, The Hindu reported.
The CB-CID’s findings have triggered a political debate in the state. DMK’s allies – CPI (M) and VCK have called for a CBI investigation. The opposition AIADMK and BJP also pushed for a CBI probe, while TVK’s Vijay has urged the formation of a special investigation team (SIT) under the supervision of the Madras high court.
In December 2022, five children from Dalit families in Vengaivayal fell ill after unknowingly drinking water from the same overhead drinking tank. Further probes revealed that the water had been contaminated with human excreta. A case was booked under the Prevention of SC/ST Atrocities Act.
In February 2023, a fact-finding report by the Dalit Intellectual Collective said that previous enmity existed between the former Panchayat head Chidambaram, from the Kallar (OBC) caste, and Muthiah and Padma. Even though Padma had won the local body polls in 2019, Muthiah allegedly held a grudge against the Dalit residents of Vengaivayal, believing they had voted for Chidambaram, the report said.
In April 2024, Dalit residents of Vengaivayal boycotted the general elections alleging inaction by the administration.
Courtesy : TNM
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