The Supreme Court on Monday, January 27, stayed a Madras High Court direction ordering departmental enquiry against Tamil Nadu police over the leak of FIR in the Anna University sexual harassment case, while allowing the special investigation team (SIT) to continue its probe.
A bench of Justices BV Nagarathna and Satish Chandra Sharma, hearing a state petition seeking expunction of adverse remarks against police, also stayed all critical comments made by the High Court against the state police in its interim order.
The Madras High Court, on December 27, 2024, had severely criticised the police for mishandling the case and leaking details of the survivor. The court had also questioned Police Commissioner A Arun's decision to conduct a press meet about the case.
The HC also asked, “The FIR was leaked from your hands. You should've filed an FIR in such a way that the information would not be leaked. Now who is responsible for the victim and her family?”
The court said that this should be viewed seriously and directed a departmental enquiry into the matter, and directed the state to pay an interim compensation of Rs 25 lakh to the survivor. The bench also constituted an SIT to conduct further investigation in the case.
