Madurai:The Madurai Bench of Madras High
court on thursday quashed the detention of Essor Gopi, an associate
of Union Minister M K Alagiri, under the Goondas Act.
The division bench comprising Justices M Jaichandren and
S Nagamuthu said there was delay on the part of the
authorities concerned to consider Gopi`s representation and
dispose it within the stipulated period.
The Judges directed the detenu to be set at liberty
immediately unless he is required in connection with any other
case or cause.
Essor Gobi and his brother were allegedly involved in a
murder case.
He had surrendered before the court recently and was
subsequently detained under the Goondas Act by the District
Collector on August 31 and lodged in Tiruchirappali Central
Prison.
His wife Subbulakshmi challenged the detention order
Essor Gobi was arraigned as main accused in the murder of an
autorickshaw driver on April 16,2009. A case was registered
against him on information given by the Village Administrative
Officer at Avaniapuram.
The prosecution`s case was that Gopi and his brother had
threatened a person who had given his house to put up an
election booth in 2009 and ordered him to vacate it. But the
man refused to do so, following which Gopi`s brother and 14
others conspired to kill him. He was taken to Gopi`s house
and murdered there, they said.
The man`s body was taken to another spot and a car driven
over him to make it look like an accident, they said.
PTI
