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.
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The bench also comprising justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud said that the High Court will take a decision on her application uninfluenced by the order of the apex court.
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. Since then, she has claimed a threat to her “life and dignity” but the Tamil Nadu police has repeatedly refused to grant her security.
The court further said: “the fact that the State is keen on her appearance shows that there is more to this case than meets the eye. that this is all a counterblast against her allegations against you”.
A harassment complaint had been lodged by Pushpa’s maid against her, her husband, her mother and her son. The plea also said “numerous false cases” had been filed against the family “in a bid to compel” her to resign, although it did not name Jayalalithaa.
The Delhi High Court last week granted interim protection from arrest to expelled AIADMK RS MP Sasikala Pushpa.
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This is not the first time that the two have been at loggerheads: Jayalalithaa had removed Pushpa from as president of the party’s women’s wing as well as forced her to step down as deputy leader of the AIADMK’s Rajya Sabha party in January.
