AIADMK Member of Parliament C.Ve. Shanmugam has approached the Madras High Court, complaining that the party is unable to function from its headquarters in Chennai, since the police are yet to take stock of the damage that had been caused when supporters of expelled leader O. Panneerselvam broke into the office on July 11.
Though 44 days had lapsed since he lodged a complaint of theft, and 23 days had passed since an FIR was registered against Mr. Panneerselvam and his supporters P.H. Manoj Pandian and R. Vaithilingam, the police had so far not bothered to visit the scene of the crime, which was the headquarters of the principal Opposition party in the State, he said.
“If this is the manner in which a complaint by a political party which has ruled the State for 32 years is being addressed, it is unimaginable how the respondents (Director-General of Police and others) would address a complaint from a common man,” the MP said, and sought a direction to the DGP to ensure that the investigating team visits the AIADMK office at the earliest.
His plea has been listed for hearing before Justice G.K. Ilanthiraiyan on Wednesday.
The petition, filed through his counsel M. Mohamed Riyaz, also stated that it was imperative for the police to perform their duties without being influenced by any instructions from the ruling dispensation. “It is the ruling dispensation which would stand to great advantage” if the principal Opposition party was unable to function from its headquarters as long as possible,” it read.
Mr. Shanmugam said the supporters of Mr. Panneerselvam trespassed into the party office on July 11, when the party’s general council meeting was taking place at Vanagaram near Chennai to expel him from the primary membership of the party. The trespassers stole cash as well as important documents, besides damaging the party vehicles that were parked inside the campus, he alleged.
Stating that he was able to gain access to the party office only on July 21, since it was sealed by the Revenue Divisional Officer after the July 11 violence, the petitioner said a complaint of theft and rioting was lodged on July 23. However, the police did not register an FIR, forcing him to move the High Court, seeking a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the matter.
After the High Court ordered notice on the plea for a CBI probe on August 11, the Royapettah police registered an FIR against Mr. Panneerselvam and his supporters on August 13. However, the complainant was not informed about the FIR. It was only on August 25 that the High Court was informed about the FIR, and also that the investigation had been transferred to Crime Branch-Criminal Investigation Department (CB-CID).
Though the court was told that the DGP had transferred the probe to the CB-CID through the proceedings he issued on August 24, so far, neither the Royapettah police nor the CB-CID had visited the scene of the crime, the MP said.
“The manner in which the respondents have conducted themselves does not instil any confidence in the investigation process, and there is every likelihood that the investigation will be marred with several illegalities. I am apprehensive that the investigation will not be unbiased in any manner,” he added.
