Chennai: After going through an ordeal for over 18 years in facing their trial, the nine accused got reprieve with a court in Gobichettipalayam in Erode district acquitting them in the Kannada actor Rajkumar abduction case citing ‘no evidence’.
Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, Madras High Court advocate L. Shivakumar, counsel for Nakkeeran, a Tamil bi-weekly, recounted, “using this case, police started committing atrocities in the forest regions and a large number of tribal people faced the troubles ranging from physical abuse to mental trauma. However, the prosecution failed to prove the charges. The acquittal comes a great relief to people.”
The then AIADMK regime used such case as a political weapon against its critics, he added.
The advocate went on to say that initially, the police registered case against Veerappan and four of his close associates. However, after the change of government, the then AIADMK had used the case as a political vendetta by including Nakkeeran Gopal and three other reporters, Tamil extremists and several others as accused in the case.
When chargesheet was filed before the court on September 25, 2008, Nakkeeran Gopal and three others were removed from the case, as charges were not proved against them, he said.
When DC spoke to one of the accused, K. Amirthalingam said that they have finally won the legal battle.
“We were all along going through mental agony till the court’s verdict. Police, intelligence officers and CID sleuths threatened us with dire consequence, if we were not cooperated to have confessed to the case. Finally, justice won and we are happy,” he said, adding that they were both physically and mentally tortured.
Similarly, another accused, who wished anonymity, said that even after such verdict, the police could look for another opportunity to land them in jail. “Imagine that it has been over 18 years and we had been spending sleepless nights,” he said. He faced layers of social stigma and stratification in the society and he felt ostracized. A. Kathir, executive director, Evidence, and a human rights activist, blamed investigation systems.
“Now, the court has acquitted accused and the million-dollar question is that who holds responsibility for flawed investigation. Moreover, there are poor scientific, psychological and legal investigations as far as this case is concerned,” he said, recounting that hundreds of people were killed and many women were physically abused during search of Veerappan by Tamil Nadu and Karnataka Special Task Forces’ combined operation.
