Tamil Nadu - Madurai   

Petitioner alleges threat to life

By Our Staff Reporter

MADURAI, AUG. 17. A petitioner before the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Monday alleged threat to his life by policemen. In a fax message sent to V. Periyakaruppiah, Registrar (Judicial), K. Alagirisamy stated that he was being forcibly prevented from appearing before the court by the Sivakasi town police inspector.

"The police threatened that if I appeared before the court, they would assault me with the help of rowdies and foist a false case against me." the message read.

The message was presented before the Bench comprising Justice N. V. Balasubramanian and Justice T. V. Masilamani when a writ of habeas corpus taken up by the court on the basis of a telegram sent by the petitioner to the Chief Justice came up for hearing.

Taking serious note of the allegation, the Bench ordered the Deputy Superintendent of Police, Sivakasi, to produce the petitioner before the court with due protection on Wednesday.

While arguing for Kannan, head constable, against whom the petition was initiated, his counsel, Ajmal Khan, contended that as the daughter of the petitioner, Jayalakshmi, who was alleged to have been murdered, was now produced before the Bench following the directions of the court. Hence, "...truly nothing survives in the habeas corpus petition."

M. Alagarsamy, appearing for Ms. Jayalakshmi, stated that the police had registered several criminal cases against his client after the court took cognizance of the telegram. He prayed for time to file a detailed affidavit on behalf of Ms. Jayalakshmi. Granting him two days time, the Bench posted the matter for further hearing to Wednesday.

Earlier, Ms. Jayalakshmi was brought to the court amid tight security.

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