DMK seeks summons against Vijay, two Ministers in Gem Veeramani POCSO case

CHENNAI: DMK treasurer and Lok Sabha floor leader T R Baalu has petitioned the Special Investigation Team (SIT), urging it to summon Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay and Ministers Adhav Arjuna and R Nirmal Kumar for questioning and obtain the evidence they allegedly possess in connection with the Gem Veeramani POCSO case.

In his complaint, Baalu alleged that the three had made accusations against the DMK in connection with the case in public and said their statements warranted investigation by the SIT.

Baalu said Chief Minister Vijay had, on September 25, publicly alleged that the DMK had protected Gem Veeramani. On the same day, Minister Adhav Arjuna allegedly accused the DMK of not only protecting Veeramani but also of improperly closing the case against him.

The following day, September 26, Law Minister Nirmal Kumar allegedly accused the DMK of receiving Rs 500 crore from Veeramani in return for protecting him, Baalu said in his complaint.

According to Baalu, the allegations were false and intended to defame the DMK and its leaders; that the three possessed crucial information or evidence relating to the alleged offence but had not handed it over to the investigating officer as required under the POCSO law; or that they had obtained investigation-related information from the case diary through unauthorised means and disclosed it publicly.

Baalu said the allegations made by the Chief Minister and the two Ministers were directly connected with the SIT investigation. He therefore urged the investigating agency to immediately obtain from them the evidence, documents and information forming the basis of their allegations.

He also sought answers to whether the three possessed supporting evidence, why such evidence, if available, had not been handed over to the investigators, whether they had obtained confidential investigation documents without authorisation and whether information from such documents had been disclosed publicly.

Baalu urged the SIT to summon all three and conduct an inquiry into the allegations and the sources of the information cited by them.