HC directive to Swamy

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI, JAN. 10. The Madras High Court has directed the Janata Party president, Dr. Subramanian Swamy and its Tamil Nadu unit chief, Ms. Chandralekha to submit their averments in an affidavit to the Sub Collector, Tindivanam, in connection with a case in 1993, when Dr. Swamy's security man fired in the air to scare a crowd.

Mr. Justice P. Sathasivam gave the direction, while disposing of writ petitions filed by Dr. Swamy and Ms. Chandralekha, seeking to quash the sub-collector's summons for appearance for an enquiry regarding the firing incident.

In their petitions, the two said Dr. Swamy was undertaking a `Tamilaga Nallatchi Iyakkam'' campaign in 1993, against the then AIADMK regime ``to bring to the notice of the public the misdeeds and maladministration of the (then) Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu''.On June 14, 1993, he arranged a road-side meeting at Tindivanam. To thwart the meeting, the AIADMK volunteers hurled stones on his car. Sensing an imminent danger to their life, Dr. Swamy's special security personnel fired in the air to scare the crowd. The two leaders escaped and reached Chennai.

Later, the Tindivanam sub-collector issued a memo asking them to appear before him on November 21, 1994 for an inquiry under the Police Standing Orders. Immediately, they wrote back requesting the officer to hold the inquiry at Chennai, in view of security problems. As it was not considered and a second summons issued, the two filed petitions to quash the proceedings.

Mr. Justice Sathasivam said the petitioners' only grievance was that it would be difficult for them to appear in person in Tindivanam. Hence, they could be permitted to submit their case in an affidavit to the Sub-Collector, who could pass orders in accordance with law. It was open to the party leaders to raise all objections including legal objections regarding maintainability of the sub-collector's proceedings, he added.

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Section  : Southern States
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