DMK attempted to convert court into political platform, says Madras HC
Chennai: The Madras High Court on Wednesday dismissed the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam’s (DMK) plea seeking a direction restraining police from preventing its leader M K Stalin inspecting de-silting work on water bodies, saying the party DMK had attempted to convert the court into a political platform.
The DMK had filed the plea seeking a direction forbidding police from preventing or interfering with Stalin's visit to inspect de-silting activities at various water bodies in the state last month.
Justice M S Ramesh dismissed the petition seeking to call for records pertaining to the July 26 impugned order of police in Salem, quash it and direct them to release Stalin, the leader of the Opposition in the assembly, and other party office-bearers and cadres.
Stalin had in a statement said he was detained by police on July 27 when he had attempted to participate in a human chain protest over NEET issue prior to inspecting de-silting work of a lake.
The lake is in Chief Minister Edapaddi Minister K Palanisamy's constituency. Stalin was released later.
The judge said that in view of the fact that Stalin and party office-bearers had been released from temporary detention, the prayer sought for needed no further orders.
"Accordingly, the writ petition stands dismissed," he said.
The matter relates to the petition filed by DMK legal wing secretary R Girirajan that Stalin was stopped at a toll plaza within Coimbatore district as he was on his way to Salem to inspect desilting of the Kacharayan lake.
The petitioner said police had informed them that Stalin was detained as he had intended to participate in a 'human chain protest' against NEET, which was in contravention of the July 26 order.
He alleged that police had misused the prohibitory order of the human chain protest to execute the arrest and prevent Stalin and party office bearers from visiting the lake.
The judge said that in view of the fact that the statement had come from the leader of the opposition party in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, it could not be ignored.
"It is in this background that this court, with discontention, is constrained to observe that the petitioner has attempted to convert the high court into a political platform by filing the present petition with contradictory averments."
Public Prosecutor Rajarathinam submitted that Stalin and other DMK office-bearers had attempted to participate in the protest at Edappadi, in contravention of prohibitory orders and therefore, detaining them was within their legal powers.
He also said soon after detention, Stalin and others were released and hence the prayer in the present writ petition had become infructuous.
