The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Accused’s wife fears fake encounter

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Thursday, May 29, 2008
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Accused’s wife fears fake encounter

Staff Reporter

MADURAI: A writ petition has been filed before the Madras High Court Bench here alleging that the police had planned to kill an accused N.G. Shanmuga Pandi and his brother N.G. Muthukrishnan of Valliyoor in Tirunelveli district in a fake encounter.

In her affidavit, S.P. Maheswari, wife of Shanmuga Pandi, apprehended that the brothers, lodged in the Central Prison here, might be killed on their way to a local court for remand extension. Hence, she sought a direction to utilise video-conferencing facility.

Justice M. Chockalingam directed the Government Advocate to obtain detailed instructions from P. Kannappan, Deputy Inspector General of Police, Tirunelveli Range, and adjourned the matter to Thursday.

Ms. Maheswari claimed that the State had so far witnessed 68 encounter deaths. She said she feared that her husband and brother-in-law could be the next target. Her counsel, Rupert J. Barnabas, pointed out that the DIG had organised a public meet in Valliyoor on May 25 to gather information about movement of criminals.

“The meeting is nothing but a mockery of procedure established under law. It is a police ‘durbar’ in Valliyoor and a deliberate abuse of the office and powers of the DIG,” he said.

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