P. Johnson Suresh (39), a grocery owner from Kanakkampalayam in the city, staged a dharna at the entrance of the City Police Commissioner’s office here on Monday.
He alleged that the inquiry conducted by Anupparpalayam police on his complaint that a gang had assaulted his family members, was “lopsided.” The police closed the case as ‘mistake of fact’ by forging statements of witnesses.
Now, the Anupparpalayam police are not reopening the case and conducting a fresh investigation even after I got a stay from court against the closing of the case on the grounds of ‘mistake of fact.’
The personal representations I submitted to senior police officials, including a Deputy Commissioner and an Assistant Commissioner, earlier this month, pointing out the lethargy of the Anupparpalayam police, did not yield adequate response, he said.
Mr. Johnson Suresh, a native of Tiruchendur in Tuticorin district, said that the incident of assault happened in 2008 at a time when the divorce petition involving him and wife was still in court.
“Identifiable people who came to my house asked for huge sum to settle the divorce. When my family members refused, they attacked them,” he added.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) R. Thirunavukkarasu told The Hindu that Mr. Suresh had already been asked to furnish the copy of the court order but he is yet to produce the same before us.
“The police can start an inquiry afresh only on the directive of the court even if the court, as claimed by Mr. Suresh, had stayed the closing of the case,” he said.
