"State given double promotion to the officials involved in the Sterlite firing", says MHC
The bench directed the petitioner to implead all the police personnel and public servants allegedly involved in the firing and posted the matter to January 19 for further hearing.
CHENNAI: The Madras High Court (MHC) noted that the police personnel and public servants allegedly involved in the Thoothukudi Sterlite firing were given double promotion by the State and directed the State to furnish the details of the officials named in the Aruna Jagadeesan commission report.
A division bench comprising Justice SS Sundar and Justice N Senthilkumar observed that the police had raided the houses of innocent people after the firing, which is not different from the Veerappan case.
The bench heard the petition preferred by human rights activist Henri Tiphagne against the premature closure of investigation of the firing, by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).
The bench directed the petitioner to implead all the police personnel and public servants allegedly involved in the firing and posted the matter to January 19 for further hearing.
Henri Tiphagne appeared as the party in person contended that the NHRC closed the suo motu investigation over the police firing, which killed 13 anti-Serlite protestors, as premature without inquiring him. The NHRC closed the investigation after the State gave Rs.20 lakhs as compensation to the family of the victims.
After the submission, the bench wondered that the duty of the NHRC is to close the investigation as compensation paid to the victims? or to find out the officials involved in the firing?.
Advocate General (AG) R Shunmugasundaram appeared for the State and placed the notification containing the list of officials names involved in the firing to initiate proceedings to take disciplinary actions.
