Madras High Court slams police for detaining actor Vishal

Chennai: The Madras high court slammed the Tamil Nadu police for detaining actor Vishal, head of the Tamil Nadu Film Producers Council, when he tried to break open the lock of the office. The court was critical of the police for interfering in the affairs of the council. The court also came down hard on a faction of film producers for barging into the TFPC office and locking the door the previous day.  The court directed the Revenue Divisional Officer, Nandanam, to remove the seal from the TFPC premises.

Passing interim orders on a petition filed by TFPC, represented by its executive committee member M.Anbudurai, Justice N.Anand Venkatesh also directed the RDO to keep the proceedings initiated under section 145 Cr.P.C. (Procedure where dispute concerning land or water is likely to cause breach of peace) pending.

The judge directed the Deputy Registrar of Societies to go over to the TFPC on December 22 and start the process of taking inventory of the entire records that are available with the TFPC. He shall thereafter keep the entire records in a room allotted by the TFPC and lock the same and keep the key under his control pending disposal of the writ petition, the judge added.

The judge said the office bearers of the Council shall be entitled to take copy of the important records in order to ensure the day to day running of the council was not affected. The Pondy Bazar police should ensure that no one interferes with the functioning of the office bearers and they were not prevented from entering the office premises, the judge added.

The Pondy Bazar police should ensure that law and order was maintained and immediate action should be taken against anyone who tries to create any problem or indulging in any violation. The members of the council have the right to access the council subject to the condition that they do not create any law and order problem in the premises.

So far as the alleged dispute between the parties were concerned, the same shall be worked out independently before the appropriate court and this order will not have any bearing over it, the judge added and posted after four weeks, further hearing of the case.    

Earlier, when the case came up for hearing, Janardanam, counsel for the petitioner submitted that Vishal and other elected members of the council were entitled to enter into the premises of the council. But, they were prevented from entering into it, he ad-ded.

The judge said there was an elected body and their term was yet to come to an end. While so, the other faction cannot just barge into the office, lock the same and make the police register a case.

How can they prevent the elected office bearers from entering into the office? In no way can the police interfere with the affairs of the Council, the judge added.

John Sathyan, appearing for the complainant belonging to other faction submitted that the elected members were acting against the other members of the Council.

The complainant has already approached the Registrar of Societies. The other group (Vishal) only created problems, he added.

Additional public prosecutor Mohamed Riyaz said there was a complaint from Radhakrishnan and counter complaint from Durairaj and the police received both and issued CSR.

There was likelihood of law and order problem. In order to control the situation, the police interfered. Police was not interfering with the affairs of the Council, he added.

John Sathyan said if Vishal and others were allowed to enter the office, they will destroy important records.

"We are part of a family. We filed a suit and it is pending". They may destroy important documents including accounts, he added.