The Madras High Court Bench here on Tuesday directed Thanjavur Collector to file counter affidavits by April 15 in reply to two public interest litigation (PIL) petitions related to Mullivaikkal Ninaivu Mutram, a memorial constructed by Ulaga Tamizhar Peramaippu Trust at Pappa Nagar in Vilaar Panchayat in memory of Tamils killed in Sri Lanka.
A Division Bench of Justices V. Ramasubramanian and V.M. Velumani also directed the PIL petitioner, Pazha Nedumaran, also chairman of the trust, to file a rejoinder, if any, within a week thereafter so that the case could be taken up for final hearing on April 21. The petitioner had accused government officials of taking coercive against the trust and the memorial.
He sought for a court order restraining the officials from harassing and threatening individuals involved in the day-to-day affairs of the memorial besides declaring as illegal the demolition of the memorial’s compound wall.
He also wanted appropriate legal action to be initiated against the officers concerned and a direction to restore the demolished compound wall.
