Arrest 32 accused in Marakkanam case: Madras HC
The reason for this was that non bailable warrants against the Accused-3 to 34 were still not have been executed
Chennai: The Madras high court has directed the police to take appropriate steps to arrest 32 accused allegedly involved in the violence unleashed against Dalits at Marakkanam on April 25, 2013, in which a person died and several injured, during the Chithirai Muzhu Nilavu Peruvizha at Mamallapuram organized by the Vanniyar sangam.
Passing orders on a petition filed by advocate D. Ashok Kumar, a division bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice R. Mahadevan also directed the Judicial Magistrate-1, Tindivanam who has taken the case on file, to send a status report to this court.
The bench said a status report has been filed by the inspector of police, Marakkanam. S.Sathia Chandran, counsel for the petitioner, referred to the status report and submitted that though the charge sheet was filed as far as back on June 30, 2014, the case was still at the committal stage and listed on September 9, 2016.
The reason for this was that non bailable warrants against the Accused-3 to 34 were still not have been executed. There was a merit in the contention of the petitioner that at the stage of investigation these accused would have been identified and details obtained. “Thus, it is unacceptable that now it is being pleaded that police is unable to arrest the accused. We thus, call upon the police to take appropriate steps to arrest the accused”, the bench added.
The bench said the second aspect pointed out was that the relief amount sanctioned was uniform to different figures either of Rs 1.20 lakh to 15,000. He submitted that the claims made were of varied amounts, which would be apparent from the petition and some of the sufferers have lost more than others.
“We are thus of the view that in so far as the larger claims are concerned, the matter be looked into if those claimants are unable to produce the documents to substantiate higher amount of loss. This aspect also be looked in by the authorities. The judicial magistrate’s report be obtained to be placed before the court on December 2”, the bench added.