Madurai: Union minister M K Alagiri and
three of his associates have moved the Madras High Court
seeking to quash an assault case filed against them based on a
complaint by an election official.
On April 2, police registered a case against Alagiri,
son of Chief Minister M Karunanidhi, and 52 other DMK men, in
connection with alleged assault of the tehsildar and Melur
assistant returning officer by DMK activists in his presence.
Kalimuthu in his complaint had alleged that he and a
videographer, part of a flying squad, were assaulted by the
DMK activists when they videographed the visit of Alagiri to a
temple in Keelavalavu in Melur taluk.
However, in a u-turn, Kalimuthu later accused the
police of dictating the complaint and said he was not
assaulted.
In their petition, Alagiri, DMK South Zone Organising
Secretary, Melur Union Secretary V Regupathy, Madurai Deputy
Mayor P M Mannan and M Tirugnanam, claimed that the tehsildar
had been directed by District Collector U Sagayam to file the
complaint to take vengeance against them.
They claimed that the collector was under the wrong
assumption that a PIL against him in high court was filed at
the instigation of Alagiri.
Pointing out that the tehsildar himself had denied the
assault on him, the petitioners said the complaint had been
made with mala fide intention and ulterior motive.
Continuation of the investigation based on this complaint was
not warranted and was an abuse of process of law. Hence the
court should quash the complaint and FIR in the interest of
justice.
Justice R S Ramanathan posted the case for further
hearing to April 27 after issuing notice to Keelavalavu
police.
PTI
