The Madras High Court Bench here on Friday dispensed with the appearance of former Deputy Mayor P.M. Mannan, also a confidant of expelled Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam leader M.K. Alagiri, before the Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO) in connection with a criminal case registered against him by Karimedu police here.
Justice G.M. Akbar Ali gave him the reprieve and adjourned till April 17 a petition filed by him challenging summons issued by the police on April 9. The former Deputy Mayor had been asked to appear before the RDO on April 11 to explain his stand on the case booked under Section 110 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (Cr.P.C.).
The Section empowers an Executive Magistrate to direct a person whom he/she believes to be a habitual offender, whose activities were desperate and dangerous to society at large, to show cause as to why he should not be ordered to execute a bond, with sureties, for his good behaviour for a period to be decided by the Magistrate but not exceeding three years.
Expressing shock and surprise over Section 110 of the Cr.P.C. having been invoked against him, Mr. Mannan said it had been done with an ulterior motive to tarnish his image. He also pointed out that he was a law graduate who served as chairman of Madurai Aavin between 1996 and 2001, and occupied the post of Deputy Mayor of the city between 2001 and 2006.
