The water tank at Vengaivayal in Pudukkottai district where human faeces were dumped in December 2022.
| Photo Credit: M. MOORTHY
The case relating to the dumping of human faeces in the overhead drinking water tank at Vengaivayal, a Dalit village, in Pudukottai district in 2022 was on Monday transferred to a judicial magistrate court by the special court that tries cases under the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.
This follows the filing of the final report by the CB-CID naming J. Muraliraja, 32, B. Sudharshan, 20, and K. Muthukrishnan, 22, as the accused persons. The CB-CID also filed a petition in the special court for the transfer of the case to the judicial magistrate court, arguing that the case does not fall under the purview of the SC/ST Act.
According to the final report, the incident was sequel to the enmity between Muthaiya, the husband of Muthukadu panchayat president Padma, and the accused, rather than being an offence stemming from caste prejudice.
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 information.
After hearing the arguments, special court judge G.M. Vasanthi ordered that the case be transferred to the Judicial Magistrate Court-II, Pudukkottai. She also directed that those seeking copies of the final report file a petition at the judicial magistrate court.
The incident came to light on December 26, 2022, after a girl of the village fell ill after consuming the water and was hospitalised. Subsequently, a case was registered under the SC/ST Act at the Vellanur police station. The investigation was taken over by the CB-CID, which conducted scientific analyses, including DNA and voice sample tests.
Published – February 03, 2025 07:29 pm IST