Chennai: While ordering suo motu contempt proceedings against Singanallur police, Coimbatore, for arresting a murder case accused in a trial court at Tiruppur, the Madras high court Chief Justice Indira Banerjee asked the government pleader how the police dared to drag the accused from the court.
The first bench comprising Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice P.T. Asha initiated suo motu contempt proceedings against Munisweeran, Inspector, Robert, Head Constable, and Velan driver of Singanallur Police Station of Tirupur District on the basis of the letter addressed by Chief Judicial Magistrate, Tiruppur addressed to Registrar General Madras high court dated April 11, 2018.
When the matter came up for hearing Chief Justice asked government pleader Rajagopalan that whether it is a civilised society and how dare the police could drag the accused from the court. “We will initiate suo motu proceedings against those police personnel,” she said.
After resumption of the hearing in the afternoon Additional Advocate General Manishankar sought for time to furnish a status report and the bench then posted the hearing of the matter to Monday for the submission of status report.
Manishankar said that already the DGP was informed about the incident and assured the court that such things will not happened in future. He also said that he will file a status report with regard to the incident.
The Chief Justice replied the accused was dragged even in the presence of the presiding officer, which cannot be tolerated.
On Monday, CJ had condemned police for attempting to arrest in the court hall. She said that police cannot be allowed to enter the court halls to make arrests and insisted that the police be given appropriate sensitisation and training.
The matter pertains to Santhosh (29), an accused in the murder of an auto driver, came with his lawyer K. Natarajan to the judicial magistrate court in Tirupur to surrender in April 10. Santhosh and few others were accused of murdering M. Citybabu, 44 of Ondipudur in Coimbatore over personal rivalry.
