The Hindu : Tamil Nadu asked to supply documents on Vaiko

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Thursday, Feb 05, 2004

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Tamil Nadu asked to supply documents on Vaiko

By J. Venkatesan

NEW DELHI, FEB. 4. The Central Review Committee under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) headed by Justice A.B. Saharya today asked the Tamil Nadu Government to produce the relevant materials and file a detailed counter in respect of the arrest of the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam leader, Vaiko and eight others and the Nakkheeran Editor, R.R. Gopal, by February 16.

After the Madras High Court earlier in the day allowed the Committee to go ahead with its inquiry in respect of Mr. Vaiko and others, the Tamil Nadu Government filed an application before the panel seeking time to file the reply to the showcause notice and to furnish the documents.

Senior counsel, C.S. Vaidyanathan, during the course of his submissions, gave an undertaking that the State Government would produce the documents, including the English translation of contents of the documents in Tamil.

The committee in its order said "in view of the undertaking, we permit the State Government to file a detailed counter on merits and produce all the documents and other material in their power and possession in terms of the earlier directions on February 16" and directed that the matter be posted for further directions on February 19.

After the committee issued showcause notice whether POTA had been wrongly invoked against Mr. Vaiko and eight others and Mr. Gopal, the State Government stated that the committee had no jurisdiction to decide cases pending before courts. However, the committee rejected the objections. The State Government's petitions challenging the committee's orders were rejected by the High Court, which held that the panel could proceed with the cases. In view of this order, the State has been granted time to file detailed reply and furnish the materials.

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