Chennai, Nov 19: Strongly refuting allegations by the Tamil Nadu government that cases against union ministers Murasoli Maran and T R Baalu were withdrawn as a result of Union Government pressure, the Centre today said that at no stage had it directed the government, either in writing or orally, to withdraw cases filed against the two ministers.
Director (SR), Union Ministry of Home Affairs, Taradatt, stated this in an affidavit before the Madras High Court in reply to the one filed by the state government on a petition by one Radha Rajan seeking revival of the cases against the union ministers that had been dropped. Taradatt said that the Centre in an advisory told Tamil Nadu government that it should follow the Constitution, particularly Article 19, and pronouncements of the Supreme Court in the matter of effective arrests.
Maran and Baalu had been charged with preventing the police from carrying out their duty during the arrest of former chief minister M Karunanidhi on June 30, 2001 in connection with the alleged "flyovers" scam.
Stating that the advisory could not be interpreted as anything else, he submitted that nowhere in its affidavit had the state government contended that the withdrawal of cases was pursuant to any directive, whether orally or in writing, from the Centre.
Claiming that contentions by the state government made it clear that it was on its own volition that the cases were withdrawn, he said that the theory now sought to be built up for withdrawal of the cases "can be nothing but an after thought to continue to harass Maran and Baalu.”
Bureau Report