ABVP president "desperately seeks compromise" over harassment of 60-year-old Chennai woman

The national president of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), Dr. Subbiah Shanmugam has been accused of harassing a 52-year old woman, who happens to be his neighbour. The details of the same have been captured in the apartment CCTV footage but the city police, according to the complainant's family, refused to register a First Information Report (FIR).

This triggered a controversy around FIR denial since the police gave only a CSR (Community Service Register) receipt to the complainant's family.

Details on audio-video expose of Dr. Subbiah Shanmugam

In an audio recording leaked on Twitter, Dr. Subbiah Shanmugam can be allegedly heard in conversation with perhaps a political advisor conceding that the BJP functionaries were directly sent by the RSS to cover up women harassment charges against him. Apparent person (Dr. Shanmugam) says, "There could be many reasons why the woman was angry, but this direct accusation by the woman saying, I was urinating at her door is not right."

He further certifies, "100% percent I am not responsible. However, since there is a lot of social media ire, I desperately seek a compromise on the issue with the woman and Jayakumar did try to convince the lady, but the family did not answer." However, the authenticity of the audio-video recording is under the scanner.

According to the audio message, an advisor is asking who is believed to be Dr. Shanmugam "to not seek the involvement of Jayakumar and others in this matter, as they are outsiders and he thinks it is easy to resolve matters with insiders within the city. Such goon threats to the victim will not work on such issues, but to seek support from Mr. Narasimhan, the BJP head."

The woman's family sought to register an FIR seeking legal action against Dr. Subbiah Shanmugam filing charges of harassment, and nuisance under the Epidemic Act, but the police waited for the doctor to file the complaint first.

Also, now the victim woman says, she was pressured by the BJP functionary, one named Jayakumar who threatened her asking her to withdraw the complaint against Dr. Subbiah Shanmugam.

Inside details: How and when did it all start?

The trouble started brewing some four months ago when the woman neighbor asked Dr. Shanmugam to pay Rs. 1500 per month for using her allocated car parking slot in the apartment complex at Nanganallur. A family member said, "He would call her and harass, asking if he can send her chicken, knowing well she's a vegetarian."

The woman's family has accused Dr. Subbiah Shanmugam, the chief of Surgical Oncology at the Kilpauk Medical College Hospital, and the government hospital at Royapettah for urinating at their doorstep, harassing the woman over the phone, throwing used face masks and garbage outside her door and breaking a signboard as well.

Clearly denying the allegation of police inaction on the matter, Bala, a police officer at Chennai's Adambakkam police station said, the woman in question didn't want an FIR and make matters public. She had informed the police earlier that a compromise will be worked out.

However, with the controversy gaining steam in the days on social media, the city police were forced to register a complaint against Dr. Shanmugan for violating quarantine rules and causing "mischief and nuisance".

The CCTV footage captured is currently under investigation by the Chennai police. Sources with knowledge of the matter claim, the video has been tampered with.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami's intervention has been sought by DMK MP Kanimozhi and it's now questioned if ABVP, a student group linked to BJP and Dr. Shanmugam's political affiliations are causing investigation delays and further action on the matter.