Gang rape: HC moved against detention of 6 under Goondas Act

Petitions have been filed in the Madras High Court challenging the detention of six of the 17 accused in a gang rape case here, under the stringent Goondas Act. A division bench of Justices C T Selvam and Nirmal Kumar issued notices to the authorities concerned returnable in three weeks, when the petitions came up for hearing.

One the petitioners Premavathi, whose 60-year old husband Sukumaran is among the six accused, contended that the city police commissioner's September 5 order detaining her husband under the Goondas Act was illegal and arbitrary. No substantial materials were placed before the detaining authority before passing the order.

The grounds of detention was not furnished to the accused in time, she said. Similar petitions were filed by the family members of the other five accused in the case. The 17 people have been accused of repeated rape of an 11-year old hearing impaired girl here.

The police had on September 12 filed the charge sheet, arraigning the 17 accused under the new stringent law which provides for death penalty for child rapists. The shocking case came to light in July after the victim, a class 7 student, narrated her ordeal to her elder sister.

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