The Madras High Court on Monday directed the authorities to continue searching for missing film producer Madan of Vendar Films, who disappeared leaving behind a letter on May 28.
A Division Bench of Justices S. Nagamuthu and V. Bharathidasan made the direction on a habeas corpus plea moved by the film producer’s mother seeking a directive to the police to trace and produce him before the court.
According to R.S. Thangam, her son Madan was missing for the past several days. On May 27, he had left for Delhi in connection with his work. He had informed his mother that he would return to Chennai on May 29.
“However, on May 29 instead of his return I received a letter stating the business transaction with S.R.M. Vendar and his broken state of mind to finish his life in Kasi,” Ms. Thangam said.
She added that the letter written by her son elucidates that there was some financial transaction with S.R.M group and the letter raises apprehensions about the possibility of a kidnap operation. Alleging that the police had failed to take appropriate action on her complaint or register a case, she claimed that unless an investigation was carried out, her son’s whereabouts would not be found.
When the plea came up for hearing, the Additional Public Prosecutor submitted that on the complaint of the petitioner, a ‘man missing’ case was registered on June 1. He further submitted that the Valasaravakkam police station had received a number of complaints against the petitioner’s son Madan alleging that he had collected money from students on the promise of admission in S.R.M. University.
“All these complaints have now been transferred to Central Crime Branch, Chennai, for further action,” the prosecutor said and sought time to provide detailed information of the complaints.
Recording the submission, the Bench adjourned the plea to June 8 and with a direction that the search to trace Madan shall continue in the meantime.
