Police told to reply on plea to quash FIR against ABVP

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Thursday directed the city police to file its response on the petition filed for quashing the FIR booked against 35 students associated with BJP’s student organisation ABVP on charges of trying to siege the house of Chief Minister MK Stalin in February this year.

Justice N Sathish Kumar passed the direction on hearing the criminal original petition filed by M Kaushik and 34 students. Advocate RC Paul Kanagaraj, representing the petitioners submitted that the police ought not to have registered an FIR and it was only for exercising the democratic right of any citizen more so of a student demanding justice for the death of another student.

According to the prosecution, the accused under the guise of seeking justice for the death of the schoolgirl named Lavanya attempted to siege the house of the Chief Minister. “They pushed the police and tore the uniform and also broke the barricades,” the police submitted. Adding, “The police further submitted that they damaged the rear view mirror of the indicator light of the police jeep and ran towards the house of the CM and started shouting slogans.”

However, the petitioners submitted that were not involved in such acts and they were merely seeking justice for the student Lavanya, who committed suicide in the case of forceful conversion to Christianity.

The accused submitted through their advocate that they were only exercising their fundamental rights of freedom of expression. “They have only gathered to draw the Chief Minister’s attention. They are not armed with any weapons or intention to commit any offences,” the petitioner’s counsel submitted.

The judge adjourned the matter to September 19.