The CB-CID has named three accused who allegedly contaminated the drinking water supply to take revenge against a panchayat president's husband. But activists have criticised the handling of the case, calling it a blatant miscarriage of justice.
Published Jan 27, 2025 | 12:00 PM ⚊ Updated Jan 27, 2025 | 1:23 PM
The Tamil Nadu Crime Branch-Criminal Investigation Department (CB-CID) has determined that personal motive, not caste discrimination, was behind the notorious Vengaivayal water tank contamination case that shook the state in December 2022.
In a chargesheet filed before the special court for Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe (SC/ST) cases in Pudukottai on Monday, 20 January, the investigating agency named three accused who allegedly contaminated the drinking water supply with human faeces to take revenge against a panchayat president’s husband.
According to the CB-CID’s status report to the Madras High Court, J Muraliraja, B Sudharshan and K Muthukrishnan — all belonging to SC and ST communities — committed the offence to take revenge upon Muthaiah, husband of Muttukadu panchayat president Padma, after a tank operator, Shanmugam, was terminated from service.
In a statement, police said mobile phones belonging to Muraliraja, Sudarshan, Muthaiya, R Muthukrishnan, and others were confiscated and sent for forensic analysis, where deleted photos and conversations were retrieved, confirming the incident.
வேங்கைவயல் சம்பவம் குறித்து குற்றப் பிரிவு குற்றப் புலனாய்வுத் துறையின் பத்திரிகை செய்தி.https://t.co/21v3keBKJo#Pressnote #CBCID #Vengaivayal #TamilNaduPolice #Tnpolice pic.twitter.com/XwEbT0c6xw
— Tamil Nadu Police (@tnpoliceoffl) January 25, 2025
The case surfaced when Scheduled Castes residents of villages in Pudukkottai district began falling violently ill with vomiting and diarrhoea. A health inspection of the village’s overhead water tank revealed human faeces had been dumped into the tank in an alleged case of caste-based hate crime.
The revelations sparked outrage across Tamil Nadu, with political parties urging the ruling DMK government to expedite the investigation. The district administration replaced the contaminated water tank and provided medical aid to the affected villagers. Pudukkottai Collector Kavitha Ramu and Superintendent of Police Vandita Pandey visited the village and condemned the incident, then believed to be a deliberate act of caste discrimination.
The case was transferred to the CB-CID in January 2023. Despite collecting DNA samples from 31 individuals to match the faecal matter found in the water tank, investigators initially hit a roadblock when none of the samples matched.
Advocate Ravi, who filed the PIL in 2023, regarding the case, expressed deep concern over the delays and what he called the “mishandling of the investigation” to South First.
“When I initially filed the PIL, the Supreme Court directed the case to the high court. In April 2023, the High Court issued notices to the CB-CID and other relevant authorities, instructing them to provide a comprehensive report within three months. However, even after seven to eight months, no substantial progress was made, leaving the case languishing in the trial court,” Ravi said.
He further asserted that the investigation was riddled with inconsistencies and coercion. “Muraliraja and Muthukumaran were forced to take responsibility for a crime they did not commit. The police fabricated evidence and created a false narrative to frame these individuals. DNA tests, call records, and other pieces of evidence were manipulated, and the actual accused — Abhishek Abinaesh, son of Gandhi, and Surya — were conveniently excluded from the investigation.”
Ravi also raised concerns about systemic bias. “The charge sheet itself is full of inaccuracies, and the judge overseeing the case appeared biased. Despite evidence pointing to other suspects, the authorities prioritised protecting certain individuals over delivering justice. This deliberate suppression of truth reflects a complete breakdown of accountability,” he said.
“Over 30 odd families in the area have been impacted by this issue. The community has been marginalised, with their voices ignored in favour of protecting those with power and influence. This is not just a miscarriage of justice — it is a deliberate attempt to silence the oppressed.”
“The truth must come to light, and those truly responsible must be held accountable. Justice delayed is justice denied, and the marginalized communities of Vengaivayal deserve better,” he demanded.
Malarmannan, a resident of Vengaivayal who has been a witness to the case since the beginning, speaking to South First, condemned the framing of three individuals. “It is absurd to claim that the very people living here would contaminate their own water tank. This accusation is not only false but deeply unjust,” he stated.
“The whistleblowers’ video and audio evidence were tampered with by the CB-CID to fit a false narrative. The SC/ST Act, which should have protected the community, was sidelined entirely. Instead, those accused were forced to agree to the allegations with promises of housing and other benefits, which were never fulfilled,” he said.
Malarmannan also alleged police coercion. “I, too, was compelled by the police to accept blame for something I had no part in. The audio recordings have been tweaked and spread widely, but they do not reflect the truth. Important documents were mishandled, or worse, fabricated. This is a gross injustice to our community,” he said.
The delay in justice has drawn sharp criticism from various political parties. The Opposition, including the AIADMK, BJP, and Tamizhaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK), has accused the DMK government of failing to protect the marginalised SC community and allowing caste-based atrocities to persist. Dalit rights organisations have similarly called for an expedited investigation process.
புதுக்கோட்டை மாவட்டம்,வேங்கைவயல் கிராமத்தில் மலம் கலந்த சம்பவம் தொடர்பாக விசாரணை நடத்திய சிபிசிஐடி போலீசார் சென்னை உயர்நீதிமன்றத்தில் இன்று(24.01.2025) குற்றப்பத்திரிக்கை தாக்கல் செய்துள்ளனர்.
எதையோ மூடி மறைக்க காலம் கடந்த அவசர குற்றப்பத்திரிக்கையை அவசர அவசரமாக தாக்கல்… pic.twitter.com/0F6Es9Vm1Y
— DJayakumar (@djayakumaroffcl) January 24, 2025
Tamil Nadu BJP President K Annamalai has demanded a CBI investigation into the case and criticised the DMK government for delays and inconsistencies.
வேங்கைவயல் மக்களுக்காக தமிழக பாஜக நடத்தும் சட்டப் போராட்டம்.
வேங்கைவயல் வழக்கை, சிபிஐ விசாரணைக்குப் பரிந்துரைக்க வேண்டும். pic.twitter.com/o04j8N7ZaF
— K.Annamalai (@annamalai_k) January 25, 2025
TVK President Vijay called for the appointment of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) under the direct supervision of the Madras High Court to probe the Vengaivayal incident.
“Various opinions have arisen regarding the alleged perpetrators of the Vengaivayal incident. To ensure justice for the victims and instil confidence in the people, an impartial and thorough probe is essential,” he said. “A CBI inquiry under the central government may cause unnecessary delays, depriving the victims of timely justice.”
வேங்கை வயல் விவகாரத்தில் உயர்நீதிமன்றத்தின் நேரடிக் கண்காணிப்பில் சிறப்புப் புலனாய்வுக் குழு விசாரணை நடத்தி, உண்மையான குற்றவாளிகளுக்குத் தண்டனை வழங்க வேண்டும்!
ஒரு விசாரணையின் முடிவுகள் கேள்விக்கு உள்ளாக்கப்படுகின்றன எனில், அவற்றை மறு விசாரணைக்கு உட்படுத்துவதில் எவ்விதத் தவறும்…
— TVK Vijay (@tvkvijayhq) January 26, 2025
Former Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) member, Aadhav Arjuna has criticised the Tamil Nadu Police for suggesting that the Dalit community contaminated their own drinking water, terming the claim “appalling and inhumane”. “It is unimaginable that these innocent people would harm themselves and their children.” He has accused the police of using undue pressure to frame victims as perpetrators.
Arjuna highlighted caste-based oppression as the root cause and has pledged to stand with the Dalit community until the real culprits are brought to justice.
சமூகநீதியா?.. சாதி நீதியா?..
வேங்கைவயல் கிராமத்தில் தலித் மக்களின் குடிநீர்த் தொட்டியில் மலம் கலந்த கொடூரத்திற்கு 800 நாட்கள் கழித்து புதிய கதை ஒன்றைக் கட்டமைத்துள்ளது தமிழகக் காவல்துறை. தலித் மக்களே தங்கள் குடிநீர்த் தொட்டியில் மலத்தைக் கலந்து அதை அவர்களே… pic.twitter.com/yxSGWL2NOw
— Aadhav Arjuna (@AadhavArjuna) January 25, 2025
However, the Tamil Nadu Government has clarified that the Vengaivayal incident in Pudukkottai district, involving three individuals, was the result of personal enmity. Authorities have urged the public to refrain from disseminating any misleading or false information regarding the case.
Along with that, according to a Tamil Nadu Police press release, investigations into the Vengaivayal incident revealed that police constable Muraliraja orchestrated the act as an act of revenge after his father, Jeevanandam, was allegedly humiliated during a village council meeting led by Panchayat President Padma’s husband, Muthaiya.
The press release stated that the mobile phones of Muraliraja, Sudarshan, Muthaiya, R Muthukrishnan, and others were confiscated and sent for forensic analysis. Deleted photos and conversations retrieved from the devices reportedly confirmed the involvement of those accused in the incident.
Dalit rights activist Shalin Maria Lawrence has criticised the handling of the case, calling it a blatant miscarriage of justice.
“The case originally revolved around whistleblowers exposing faecal matter contamination in the water, but instead of addressing this issue, Muraliraja and Muthukumaran were framed and coerced into confessing. Muraliraja even admitted that the police forced him to take responsibility,” she said.
Lawrence highlighted how critical evidence, including audio recordings recently surfaced are manipulated versions.
“The three-month report that should have been questioned was shelved, and despite knowing who was involved, no arrests have been made. This is both anti-constitutional and illegal,” she asserted.
She also accused the DMK government of prioritising OBC vote banks while ignoring Dalit concerns.” she added. “The truth is known, yet the authorities remain silent. This suppression of justice cannot continue.”
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
