The police have arrested the wife of the accused in Wednesday’s attack on a lawyer outside a court in Hosur.
Sathyavathy was arrested late on Wednesday night, hours after her husband Anand Kumar, a court clerk, hacked the lawyer, Kannan, and surrendered before the Judicial Magistrate’s Court. Videos of the assault captured on mobile phones have since gone viral.
According to the police, Ms. Sathyavathy was an accomplice to the assault, since she had “previous knowledge” of it.
Speaking to The Hindu, Assistant Superintendent of Police Akshay Anil said that the police had “incriminating evidence” against Ms. Sathyavathy, who went ‘absconding’ soon after the assault, till she was arrested.
Bar Council
According to Inspector R. Nagaraj, there was festering enmity between the accused couple and Mr. Kannan. In January, Ms. Sathyavathy lodged a complaint of harassment against Kannan at the All Women Police Station, and was issued a CSR. But both the parties came to a compromise, saying they would sort it out at the Bar. The Bar Council is said to have intervened.
The allegation was that Mr. Kannan had harassed Ms. Sathyavathy, stalked her, sent her unsolicited text messages, and threatened her.
“There was a history, since Ms. Sathyavathy had allegedly slapped him with slippers. They should have given a complaint and pursued it,” Mr. Nagaraj said.
While Mr. Anand Kumar was arrested under Sections 296(B), 109(1) and 49 of BNS, Ms. Sathyavathy has been arrested under all but one section of 296 (b).
As of Thursday evening, Mr. Kannan was said to be critical.
Published – November 21, 2024 05:54 pm IST