Over a month after Sofia Lois, a Canada-based research scholar from Tamil Nadu was detained for sloganeering at BJP Tamil Nadu President Tamilisai Soundararajan, a local court in Thoothukudi has ordered an FIR be registered against the political leader.
On Thursday, Thoothukudi Judicial Magistrate III, S Tamilselvi gave directions to the police to file an FIR and carry out an investigation against Tamilisai for allegedly abusing, harassing and threatening Sofia Luis.
The directive comes on the back of a petition filed by Sofia’s father Professor AA Samy. This after the police took no action on a complaint filed by him against Tamilisai and BJP cadre. It was then that Samy moved court seeking to register a case against Tamilisai and BJP cadre.
In its order, the court said, “The petitioner counsel filed the CD and it reveals that there is certain threatening by the party members. The petitioner counsel alleged that it happens due to the instigation of 1st respondent Tamilisai Soundararajan...This court felt that there is a sufficient ground to register the complaint against the persons who came along with 1st respondent Tamilisai Soundararajan.”
The magistrate also added that CCTV footage from both the Thoothukudi airport as well as the Pudukottai police station has to be verified before an FIR is filed. The court called for a report to be filed on the matter before November 20.
Speaking to TNM, Athisiyakumar, Sofia Lois' lawyer said, "We are doubtful if action will be taken. But we hope there is action on orders. We have requested action under Indian Penal Code Section 341(Punishment for wrongful restraint), 294(b)(sings, recites or utters any obscene song, ballad or words, in or near any public place, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to three months, or with fine, or with both), 506(1)(Punishment for criminal intimidation) and Section 4 of the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Women Act.”
On September 3, on a flight from Chennai to Thoothukudi, Sofia Lois, who was travelling with her parents encountered Tamilisai Soundararajan. Just as Tamilisai passed by her seat, she shouted, “Down with the fascist BJP government.” A video from the Thoothukudi airport that went viral shortly after the incident showed Tamilisai losing her cool and confronting the student over her sloganeering along with her cadre.
Sofia was arrested based on a complaint by Tamilisai and remanded to judicial custody overnight.
Following the altercation, Sofia's father, Professor AA Samy had also registered a police complaint against Tamilisai Soundararajan and the BJP cadre who were present at the Thoothukudi airport. In his complaint, AA Samy said that Tamilisai did not say anything inside the flight and that the issue began after they reached the baggage area of the airport.
Speaking to TNM, Samy said, “Tamilisai walked out, called all the BJP supporters waiting outside and gathered them. They began shouting at us and threatening us. They said, if you come out, we will hack you, we will kill you. They used some vulgar words as well.”