Follow rule of law in advocate Murugan case, say activists

Addressing the media, a band of social activists and lawyers such as Henry Tiphagne, Executive Director, People’s Watch, Prof Murali, State Secretary, People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) and senior lawyer Pappa Mohan alleged that the High Court had not followed the rule of law in Advocate Murugan case.

Advocate Murugan was arrested from his house, in Madurai, on January 8, last year, by the Q branch police with the allegation that he had links with Maoists, but, however, no evidence was produced by the investigation agency.

Henry Tiphagne said that since the arrest of Murugan, two petitions were filed at the Madurai Bench of Madras High Court, one is the revision petition and the other is the bail petition. Both are pending before a single judge and in every hearing after the arguments are heard, the case is adjourned.

He also alleged that he suspects that there is a conspiracy between the Q branch and the judiciary and so Chief Justice of Madras High Court should intervene immediately.

Murali said that it was right of a lawyer to appear for his petitioners and Murugan in that manner had appeared for suspected Maoists. In the last one year, the Q branch had not submitted any proof for the direct involvement of Murugan with any of the Maoist’s incidents or any link with its leaders.

Pappa Mohan said that Murugan is the first lawyer in the state to be arrested under UAPA.

According to Supreme Court direction in Hussain vs Union of India case of 2017, a district court should take a maximum of three days and a High Court should take a maximum of seven days for a bail petition but the bail petition of Murugan has been pending for more than four months.