The Thoothukudi Magistrate Court on Thursday ordered Pudhukottai police to register a case against Tamil Nadu Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Dr. Tamilisai Soundararajan and her party cadre, for allegedly abusing a co-passenger, Lois Sophia, who had raised slogans inside an aircraft.
According to the reports, The court has ordered the police to register a case under Sections 341, 294(b) and 506(1) under the Indian Penal Code (IPC), after Sophia’s father AA Samy had approached the court, alleging that Soundararajan and her party workers had allegedly used abusive language against his daughter and misbehaved with her.
On September 3, Sophia had allegedly created a nuisance in flight by raising anti-BJP slogans inside a Chennai-Tuticorin flight in which BJP state president Tamilsai Soundararajan was incidentally traveling. Reportedly Soundararajan had an argument with the woman after landing at the airport and had lodged a complaint against the woman with Airports Authority of India and Indigo airlines. According to DGCA circular, unruly behavior such as causing discomfort to other passengers & crew members is a punishable crime. Airport safety protocols all over the world had been made stringent after the 9/11 attacks and creating a nuisance and disruptive behavior inside an airplane often result in arrests.
Later, Soundararajan had lodged a complaint against Sofia under IPC sections 505 (statements conducing to public mischief), 290 (public nuisance) and Section 75 of the Tamil Nadu City Police Act. The judicial magistrate had sent her for judicial custody for 15 days but she was later granted bail by another local court.
Subsequently, Sofia’s father had registered a complaint with Pudhukottai police against Tamilisai and BJP cadre. After the police denied to file a case, Samy went to the court asking to register a case against Tamilisai and BJP cadre under Sections 341, 294(b) and 506(1) of IPC and Section 4 of Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Women Harassment Act.
In his complaint, AA Samy said that Tamilisai did not say anything inside the flight and that the issue began after they reached the baggage area of the airport. Hearing the case, Thoothukudi Judicial Magistrate (III) Thamilselvi ordered Pudhukottai police to file an FIR against Tamilisai Soundararajan and her party cadre for allegedly harassing Sofia.
