The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Coimbatore News : Officers told to speed up probe, trial

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Tamil Nadu - Coimbatore

Officers told to speed up probe, trial

Staff Reporter

Photo: K. Ananthan

Sharing his views: Minister for Food and Consumer Protection E.V.Velu (second right) addressing a meeting of Civil Supplies - CID officials in Coimbatore on Saturday. ADGP, Civil Supplies - CID S.K.Dogra (second left), IGP, Civil Supplies - CID T.P.Sundaramoorthy (left) and the Joint Commissioner of Food, Cooperation and Consumer Protection R. Chandrasekaran (right) are in the picture. —

Coimbatore: Minister for Food E.V. Velu on Saturday exhorted Civil Supplies CID officials to take expeditious steps for speeding up the investigations in pending trial cases and also to speed up the pending trial cases.

The Minister held a review meeting with officials from the Coimbatore and Madurai zones for curbing rice smuggling across the State border. Mr. Velu exhorted the officials to keep a vigil on habitual offenders who were detained under the Black Marketing Act.

In the event of such persons having committed subsequent offences, they should be arrested and charge-sheeted under the provisions of the Essential Commodities Act.

The Minister, while referring to the orders of release issued by the Madras High Court while hearing habeas corpus petitions, said that officials should be careful while preparing the documents for detentions. Citing the instructions for conduct of trial in the Essential Commodities (EC) Court alone in every district, Mr. Velu reminded the officials that they should take expeditious steps for transferring the cases from the other courts to the EC Court.

Citing the long list of pending cases before courts, Mr. Velu said officials should ensure steps and measures for ensuring speedy conduct of trial.

He said that those indulging in rice smuggling would be prosecuted under Section 6 (a) of the Essential Commodities Act.

Even though the smuggled rice had been confiscated, officials should ensure that they should be charge-sheeted for the offences committed.

He also pointed out that there was a huge list of pending cases in respect of the same.

He ordered for night patrol along the villages that shared borders with the neighbouring States. After recommending cancellation of permits and licences until the same was given effect to, officials should ensure follow-up action, he said.

He exhorted the Food Cell CID to conduct awareness drives among truck drivers and cleaners to make them abstain from operating such smuggling trucks.

Mr. Velu also called for equal and sustained vigil against smuggling of rice in smaller quantities through buses and trains. He asked the five patrol vehicles along the State borders to step up the drive.

He also called for better performance from officials in Krishnagiri, Sivaganga, Dindigul, Theni, Tirunelveli and Kanyakumari. The Minister also reviewed the action taken on complaints received at the centralised control room.

Additional Director-General of Police, Food Cell CID, S.K. Dogra, Inspector-General of Police, Food Cell CID, T.P. Sundaramoorthy, V. Chandrasekharan, Joint Commissioner, Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection Department, took part.

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