ACP appears before Madras High Court

Chennai: Ramakrishnan, assistant commissioner of police, CCB, Salem city, on Tuesday appeared before the Madras high court in connection with the death of a prisoner in Salem prison in 2007, as directed by the court earlier.

When the petition filed by advocate P.Pugalenthi, also director of Prisoners Rights Forum came up for hearing before Justice P.N.Prakash, assistant public prosecutor informed the court that Ramakrishnan was proceeding his investigation, as directed by the court though he was transferred to Nagapattinam.

A proposal was also sent to the superior officers enabling him to proceed with the investigation, he added. Recording the same, the judge posted after 8 weeks, further hearing of the case. According to Pugalenthi, in May 2013, he came across a report prepared by V. Karuppannan, the then deputy jailor, Central Prison, Salem regarding the death of Sukumar, a member of AIADMK inside the prison on June 9, 2007. According to the report, after Sukumar, who was sleeping in 9th block of prison, developed chest pain, Karuppannan made arrangements for an ambulance for taking him to the Government Mohan Kumaramangalam Hospital, Salem, for treatment.

While Sukumar was being taken to the ambulance by prison warders, they were prevented by Selvaganapathy (former minister) and six others, who were agitation prisoners. Since the prison warders were prevented from taking Sukumar into the ambulance and since seven persons had hit the stretcher to the ground just before he was taken inside the ambulance, Sukumar died immediately.

Karuppannan had categorically stated in his report that Sukumar died only because of these persons who effectively prevented the prison warders from taking Sukumar to the hospital for immediate treatment. However, no case was registered against them.

Therefore, he made a complaint to the authorities. But there was no response. Hence, he filed a petition and the Madras high court had on December 22, 2014 entrusted the investigation to M.Ramakrishnan, assistant commissioner of police, CCB, Salem, with a direction to conduct a thorough investigation and file a final report.  It was more than 16 months since the court passed the said order. Investigation by the AC was yet to be over. Therefore, he filed the present petition to direct him to complete the investigation and file a final report, Pugalenthi added.