Poll violence case against two Ministers quashed

Justice M Nirmal Kumar passed the order on a petition moved by the Ministers and others. “The statements and documents have reached the court belatedly. No reason is given for the delay. Further, this case is pending without any progress for nearly a decade. In view of the above, continuation of the proceedings against the petitioners would amount to abuse of process of law,” the judge held while quashing the cases. 

“These criminal original petitions are allowed and case number 10 of 2020 and case number 13 of 2020, the pending cases on the file of the additional special court for trial of criminal cases relating to MPs and MLAs are hereby quashed,” the HC directed. 

The matter pertains to a violence which occurred during local body elections held in 2005. AIADMK worker A Santhosh, lodged a complaint stating that the accused had forcibly entered the voting centre, snatched away the seal of the election officer and the voters slip by force. The complainant also said that the election process was obstructed and he was chased away by the DMK functionaries. 

Also, the AIADMK man said in his complaint that the DMK man had poured petrol and set fire to his car. “ 

My car was set fire on the instruction of the one accused by other accused,” the petitioner contended. 

In 2005, a criminal case was registered, charge sheet filed before the XXIII Metropolitan Magistrate, Saidapet and later it was transferred to the special court trying MPs and MLAs and finally quashed.