Drama as court officials try to confiscate Vellore Collector’s car

It all started around noon when the sub-court officials arrived, to seize the Collector’s two official cars, after the government failed to pay Rs 30.26 lakh to a person, a due pending for more than 31 years. What should have been a smooth interaction between officials and victims escalated into a high octane drama, after officials attempted to block the media from covering the development.

The dispute on payment dates back to the 1986, when Ponnusamy Naicker of Massapaetai near Arcot, 25 km from Vellore, had handed over 3.27 acres of land to the TN Housing Board, for which he was not compensated. The dispute went to court and on Friday, the third generation of his relatives – Ponnusamy died years ago – after successfully moving court, arrived at the collector’s office with court officials.

Meanwhile, acting on a tip-off, the Collectorate staff  removed the car,  parked in the portico to the rear of the campus as is the practice, parked it inside a godown and pulled the shutters down.  When the local media tried to take photographs and also interact with Ponnusamy’s descendants Arunachalam, Panchatcharam, Mallika, Panchalai, Rajarathinam and Baskar, they were prevented by the officials.

As the Collector was in a meeting, the aggrieved party and their lawyers were made to wait for nearly 30 minutes, before they could meet Collector Raman. According to sources, the lawyers accompanying the aggrieved party were asked to step out and the Collector spoke to the family members directly. Meanwhile, the official PRO did not permit the TV channels to enter the corridor before Raman’s chamber.

Later, talking to reporters R Rajarathinam (82) said, “The Collector asked us why we could not wait for a few more months to settle the issue. He asked, ‘What are you going to do with the confiscated tables and chairs? Will it solve your problems?’ he asked us.”

The court warrant for confiscation included 50 tables, 50 chairs, 50 computers, 50 steel bureaus and two cars (TN 23 BB 2875 and TN 23 AG 7000). The family’s lawyer J Kadiravan later said, “We were unable to confiscate the cars due to wrong registration number being given. We will return with the correct number and effect the seizure” he added. 

Interestingly, when Raman prepared to leave the campus for lunch, the hidden car made an immediate appearance and TV channels trying to videograph the moment were berated by the Collector.