The Madras High Court, on Tuesday, March 21, said that they will consider the possibility of appointing a retired judge to monitor the ongoing CB-CID (Crime Branch, Crime Investigation Department) investigation of the Vengavayal caste crime, in which a potable water tank for the Dalits was contaminated with human excreta. A bench comprising acting Chief Justice Raja and Justice Bharatha Chakravarthy was hearing a PIL (Public Interest Litigation) filed by Rajkamal, a resident of Veppanpattu in Tamil Nadu’s Tiruvallur district, alleging that no one has been arrested though 90 days have passed since the police complaint.
Claiming that the probe has not been conducted diligently, in his PIL, Rajkamal stated that even after 70 years of independence, caste atrocities like untouchability are prevalent. He also mentioned how individuals from the scheduled castes are being treated as second-class citizens even today, and cited that social justice as enshrined in the constitution is still a dream.
He alleged that the CB-CID investigation –which was transferred from the police on January 15– has not been taken seriously and that only a few people have been questioned. Rajkamal also urged the court to transfer the case to the CBI for investigation as the CB-CID Pudukottai unit, he stated, has no intention to bring the culprits to law.
Additional Chief Advocate Ravindran, who appeared for the Tamil Nadu government, submitted the report of the CB-CID investigating officer in charge of the case. He informed the court that the CB-CID sleuths questioned 147 witnesses and contradictory information was revealed about the mixing of human faeces with water in the case.
During the hearing, the judges said they will consider appointing a retired High Court judge to oversee the probe of the case. After the Tamil Nadu government submitted the case diary the court adjourned the case for orders. It is to be noted that the Madurai Bench of Madras High Court on March 17 sought an action report from the Tamil Nadu government on another PIL filed by P Thirumuruganm, a resident from Pudukottai, also seeking a CBI probe in this case.
The Vengavayal issue came to light after five Dalit children of Vengavayal village in Tamil Nadu’s Pudukkottai district fell ill and were hospitalised on December 24. The villagers inspected their common water tank and to their great shock, they discovered that the drinking water source of the Dalit families had been contaminated with human excreta. The doctors who treated the children were the first to alert the villagers about the possible contamination of drinking water.