Chidambaram attack case: AIADMK men acquitted

By Our Staff Reporter

TIRUCHI, DEC. 4. The I Additional District Judge-cum-Chief Judicial Magistrate, Mr. R. Munirathinam today set aside the conviction of a lower court against 11 AIADMK members in the Chidambaram attack case and acquitted all of them.

The case relates to the attack against the then Union Minister, Mr. P. Chidambaram near the Tiruchi Airport on August 16,1991, during a protest demonstration staged by AIADMK cadres demanding his resignation from the Union Council of Ministers over the Cauvery issue.

The case was given a new lease of life after the DMK government came to power with the CB-CID taking up the investigation.

On April 17, 2000, the VI Judicial Magistrate had convicted and sentenced 11 accused in the case to undergo rigorous imprisonment for varying terms while acquitting 52 others.

The lower court had sentenced two of the accused, Mr. A. Ilavarasan, former Jayalalitha Peravai Secretary and another AIADMK cadre, Mr. T. P. Manoharan, to undergo two years rigorous imprisonment for each of the two charges under IPC Sec.148 (rioting with possession of deadly weapons) and Sec.427 (causing damage to properties).

The sentences were to run concurrently.

Nine other AIADMK members - Mr. Mariam Pitchai, AIADMK Corporation Councillor, Mr. T. Rathinavel, party District Secretary, Mr. Arockiasamy, Mr. Sivapathi, both former MLAs, Mr. Devadas, Mr. Paranjothi, Mr. Ramaiyan, Mr. ``Vellamandi'' Shanmugam and Mr. ``Kunkumapottu'' Natarajan - were sentenced to one year rigorous imprisonment under IPC Sec.147 (rioting).

All the 11 convicted AIADMK members preferred an appeal before the district court.

The I Additional District Judge, in his verdict, acquitted them all, giving them ``the benefit of doubt.''

The Judge said it has not been proved beyond doubt that the 11 accused were actually the ones who attacked Mr. Chidambaram's car.

The allegation that the accused were in possession of deadly weapons has not been clearly established, he said.

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Section  : Southern States
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