Police directed to arrest an accused who jumped bail

The Orathanadu All Women Police has been directed by the Madras High Court, Madurai Bench, to arrest the prime accused in the Papanadu gangrape case as the accused had jumped bail.

According to sources, Kavidasan, the accused number 1 in Papanadu gangrape case reported in August 2024 and investigated by the Orathanadu All Women Police, had been granted an interim bail with a condition to surrender on February 18.

When the petition filed for regular bail by Kavidasan came up for hearing before the Single Judge Bench, Justice S. Srimathy on February 20, the government advocate informed the court that the petitioner had not surrendered on February 18 and thereby violated the interim bail conditions.

Recording the government advocate’s statement, Justice Srimathy directed the Orathanadu All Women Police to secure the accused as the bond executed by Kavidasan stands cancelled.

Kavidasan and five others, including two juveniles, were arrested by the Orathanadu All Women Police in September 2024 following a complaint of molestation from a 23 year-old woman, working in a IT Company at Chennai. In her complaint, the victim said that she was taken to a farm at Papanadu on August 12 evening and gang raped.

Following the arrest, the district administration slapped Goondas Act on three of the accused persons, including Kavidasan, in September 2024, the sources said.