FIR against Rajenthra Bhalaji quashed

 The Madras High Court on Friday quashed a case pending against former dairy development minister KT Rajenthra Bhalaji over a clash during the visit of the then chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami to Sattur town in September 2021.

Justice AD Jagadish Chandira quashed the case filed against the former minister and four others on disposing of a criminal original petition moved by the accused. The petitioners submitted that they had entered into a compromise with the complainants, who are also the office-bearers of the party.

The complainants and accused appeared before the judge through the virtual mode stating that the complaint was lodged due to the intra-party feud and assured that they would not wish to proceed with the case.

Recording the submissions made by either side, the judge quashed the FIRs filed under several sections of IPC against Bhalaji and four others.

The case pertains to a factional clash that happened when Edappadi Palaniswami was on his way to Tenkasi for the rural local body election campaign. The AIADMK cadre led by different factions owing allegiance to Rajenthra Bhalaji and others waited at Sattur town to welcome him with a grand reception.

However, the factions started verbally abusing each other, following which Veerovureddy, the town secretary of Sattur, to lodge a police complaint against the former minister and four others.

The judge disposed of the case imposing Rs 50,000 cost to the former minister, directing him to deposit the amount to the Madras High Court Young Lawyers’ Welfare Fund, an initiative by senior advocate Ajmal Khan.