VCK and the CPI(M), key allies of the DMK, have strongly opposed the charge sheet, with both demanding a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe. Adding to the criticism, the Congress and BJP have also questioned the actions of the Crime Branch-Criminal Investigation Department (CB-CID) and the state government.

The controversy stems from the December 26, 2022, discovery of human faeces in an overhead water tank constructed by the Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage (TWAD) Board under the Cauvery Combined Water Supply Scheme in Vengaivayal, located in the Kulathur taluk of Pudukkottai district.

The incident shocked the state, triggering widespread outrage over the caste-based atrocity. The CB-CID, which took over the investigation from local police, recently informed the Madras High Court on January 24, 2025, that it had solved the case. It filed a charge sheet on January 20, 2025, against three individuals - J. Muraliraja (33), B. Sudharshan (21), and K. Muthukrishnan (23) - under Sections 277 (defiling water), 427 (committing mischief), 201 (destroying evidence), and 109 (abetment) of the Indian Penal Code.

The charge sheet was submitted to a special court dealing with cases under the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act in Pudukkottai. However, the charge sheet has sparked significant criticism.

The VCK, a prominent Dalit political party, has demanded a CBI investigation, asserting that the CB-CID’s actions lacked credibility. CPI(M) state secretary P. Shanmugham echoed this demand, emphasising that only a central agency could ensure a thorough and impartial probe.

The Congress, while stopping short of demanding a CBI investigation, has called for a fresh probe. Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) president K. Selvaperunthagai expressed concerns on his social media account, stating, “The inclusion of the complainants in the charge sheet raises serious questions. The investigation must be restarted to identify the real culprits and ensure justice.”

Meanwhile, the BJP has taken a more aggressive stance, demanding an immediate transfer of the case to the CBI.

Union Minister of State for Information, L. Murugan, criticised the state government, stating, “Fixing the victims as accused is brutal. The investigation has been a sham for over two years. Dalits cannot expect justice from the DMK regime.”

He further accused the state government of failing to protect Scheduled Caste communities and called the handling of the case a “social injustice”.

Tamil Nadu BJP president K. Annamalai also accused the DMK government of trying to close the case prematurely. He urged the Madras High Court to transfer the investigation to the CBI to ensure fairness and transparency.

The escalating pressure from allies and opposition parties has put the DMK government in a difficult position. The backlash indirectly targets the Chief Minister and the Home Department, intensifying calls for an independent probe.

Courtesy Media Group: IANS