DMK MLA felicitates Lavanya case accused outside jail, triggers outrage

Lavanya case accused

A massive controversy has erupted in Tamil Nadu after visuals emerged of ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam's MLA Inigo Irudayaraj welcoming the accused in the Lavanya suicide case outside the jail.

Sagaya Mary (62), who was lodged at the Tiruchirapalli Central Prison following her arrest based on Lavanya's dying declaration, was welcomed by the Tiruchirappalli (East) MLA. 

Lavanya was a student of Sacred Hearts Higher Secondary School in Thanjavur. Three days before her death, Lavanya had recorded a statement before the magistrate. In the statement, she detailed the torture that she had allegedly been subjected to by the hostel warden.

Lavanya had accused Sagaya of physically assaulting her and refusing to provide her food when she was unable to pay the hostel fees.

Sagaya, who was arrested based on Lavanya's dying declaration, was granted bail by a Thanjavur court.

Even as the Central Bureau of Investigation is yet to begin its probe into the matter, the DMK MLA seems to have already given her a clean chit. Justifying his action in a Facebook post, the MLA hailed Sagaya as someone who worked for the upliftment of the rural poor children.

The BJP has slammed the DMK MLA's action and claimed that attempts had been made from day one to cover up the case. 

The issue took a political turn when the BJP and VHP alleged that Lavanya was forced to end her life allegedly because she had refused to convert. This after a video emerged where Lavanya hinted the mistreatment "could be" because of her refusal to be converted.

BJP Spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said, "The DMK government has been continuously standing with the accused and denying justice to Lavanya. In the initial phase, the FIR filed by the police under the instructions of the DMK government did not make any mention of the conversion angle or the dying declaration of Lavanya."

The Madras High Court transferred the case to the CBI on January 31. Rejecting the state government appeal, the Supreme Court gave the go-ahead to the CBI to probe the case on February 14.

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"Even after the Supreme Court handed the matter to the CBI, we see continuously that the DMK government is trying to shield the accused and has been taking a stand against justice for Lavanya. Ironically, those who champion the rights and causes of women across the country, are eloquently silent on the denial of justice to Lavanya and her family," the BJP national spokesperson said.

"Their (secular parties) double standards and their hypocrisy when it comes to women's empowerment and rights of little girls in education and in school stand exposed," he added.