The Tamil Nadu government on Friday apprised the Madras High Court of the status of action initiated against the former Collector of Thoothukudi, N. Venkatesh; an Inspector General of Police; a Deputy Inspector General of Police; a Superintendent of Police; and 17 others in connection with the police firing on May 22, 2018 in which 13 anti-Sterlite protesters were killed.
Appearing before a Division Bench of Justices J. Nisha Banu and N. Mala, Advocate General R. Shunmugasundaram said disciplinary action had been initiated against Mr. Venkatesh and charges were framed against him under Rule 10 of the All India Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, applicable to Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers, on October 25, 2022.
The officer had submitted his written statement of defence on March 23, 2023, denying lapses on his part. Therefore, the government had appointed senior IAS officer Dheeraj Kumar as the Inquiring Authority to conduct an elaborate inquiry, the A-G said. The submissions were made during the hearing of a 2021 writ petition filed by human rights activist Henri Tiphagne of People’s Watch.
