The Supreme Court on Friday restrained Tamil Nadu Police from arresting expelled AIADMK Rajya Sabha member Sasikala Pushpa on a complaint of alleged sexual harassment and ill-treatment by her former maid working at her home.
Restraining the state police from arresting her for six weeks, a bench of Chief Justice T.S. Thakur, Justice A.M. Khanwilkar and Justice D.Y. Chandrachud asked the Madurai bench of Madras High Court to decide on her plea for anticipatory bail.
"Why are you keen on her appearance? What is the great hurry? She is a lady MP and not running away," the court told senior counsel Subramonium Prasad appearing for the Tamil Nadu government.
Expressing their apprehensions about the intent of the state government, the bench said that "the fact that the state is keen on her appearance shows that there is more to this case than meets the eye."
Asking the high court to decide on the anticipatory bail without being influenced by the restraint order passed by it, the bench also asked the petitioner (Sasikala) to comply with the order of appearance before the high court.
The court's order came on a mentioning by senior counsel Siddharth Luthra who questioned anxiety of the state police to arrest her in a case of alleged sexual harassment and ill-treatment filed by her maid.
Sasikala moved the top court challenging the summons issued against her and other accused by the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court to appear before it on August 29.
The case has been registered by the Thoothukudi police against Sasikala and her family members.
Her former maid had accused her husband and son of alleged sexual harassment. She has complained that Sasikala knew about the incident but did not intervene.
--IANS
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