Chennai, May 21 (IANS) R. Deivachayal (alias R. Deivasayal), 37, a former office-bearer of the DMK youth wing, and his wife D. Kanimozhi, 35, have moved the Madras High Court seeking anticipatory bail in connection with a sexual harassment case filed against them.

The case was registered based on a complaint lodged by a 20-year-old college student in Arakkonam.

The bail petition is scheduled for hearing before Justice N. Senthilkumar on Wednesday.

In her complaint, the student claimed she was a married woman currently undergoing divorce proceedings and was pursuing her graduate studies at a college in Arakkonam.

She alleged that Deivachayal began stalking her and, despite being aware of her ongoing legal separation, coerced her into marriage. According to the complainant, the accused forced her to marry him on January 31 by threatening her and promising to use his political connections to influence her divorce proceedings.

She further claimed that she later discovered he was already married and that his first wife, Kanimozhi, was complicit in his criminal activities.

The complainant also accused Deivachayal of subjecting her to physical abuse and exploiting women in vulnerable circumstances.

Based on these allegations, the Arakkonam All Women Police registered a case against the couple under the following sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Section 296(b): Uttering obscene words in a public place; Section 75(2): Demanding sexual favours; Section 82(2): Polygamy; Section 351: Criminal intimidation.

In their petition, the couple denied all the charges and alleged that the complaint was politically motivated, instigated by Deivachayal’s rivals. They also questioned the delay in filing the complaint, pointing out that while the complainant claimed the marriage took place on January 31, the FIR was filed only on May 10, over three months later.

The petitioners maintained that they are willing to comply with any conditions the court may impose for the grant of anticipatory bail.

The case has drawn considerable public attention, especially given Deivachayal’s recent expulsion from the DMK.

Opposition leader and AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami had lashed out at Chief Minister Stalin and called for the immediate arrest of the accused. The AIADMK is also conducting a major protest march on this issue.

–IANS

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