Madurai
A division bench comprising Justice S.Vaidyanathan and Justice N.Anand Venkatesh, while hearing a petition filed by Advocate P.Rathinam, challenging the premature release of the convicts, directed the state government to produce the relevant documents in the case on Tuesday (November 19).
The petitioner also sought a direction to the state government to furnish the GO regarding the release of 13 life convicts, who were found guilty of murdering six Dalits at Melavalavu village, near Melur, Madurai, on June 30, 1997. The petitioner stated that an armed gang of dominant community murdered those Dalits, including former president of the village panchayat Murugesan, just because they contested the panchayat election held in 1997.
While all those accused were convicted for trial and the same was confirmed by the Supreme Court, the Tamil Nadu Prison Department released those convicts prematurely from Madurai Central Prison on November 8, citing good conduct in connection with former Chief Minister MG. Ramachandran’s birth centenary year celebrations. Citing these, the petitioner said he was not in receipt of any copy of the GO for such release from the Home (Prison –IV) Department dated November 8, 2019, since the State government had not listed the GO on its website, so far. Hence, the petitioner sought the bench to direct the government to furnish the GO copy over the premature release of the convicts, whose conviction and sentence of life was already confirmed by the Supreme Court on October 22 in 2009. On hearing, the bench wondered on what basis those convicts were released prematurely from the prison and raised a series of questions. Despite their conviction being confirmed by the Supreme Court, what was the necessity of their premature release, the bench asked. Expressing discontent, the bench said the State government took the issue on a lighter note and further questioned the safety of the victims at Melavalavu village.
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