Fakruddin alias ‘Police’ Fakruddin, who was arrested in Chennai, was produced in the court of the Judicial Magistrate III in Vellore and remanded to police custody till October 11. Earlier, the government submitted before the Madras High Court that Fakruddin (35) was arrested at Periamet on Friday. The news of the arrest had been intimated to his mother, the government submitted on Saturday.
The court has ordered that the matter be listed after two weeks for filing of a report by the Advocate-General (AG.)
When a Habeas Corpus petition challenging the “illegal detention” of Fakruddin came up before a Division Bench comprising Justices R. Sudhakar and A. Arumughaswamy during a special sitting, the AG A.L. Somayaji said three cases had been registered against the wanted person this year. One case was by the Thideer Nagar police, Madurai, in connection with the murder of B. Suresh Kumar.
Another related to the murder of [Hindu Munnani State secretary] S. Vellaiyappan in Vellore. The third case had been registered by the Hasthampatti police (Salem) pertaining to the killing of [Bharatiya Janata Party State general secretary] Ramesh alias Auditor Ramesh.
The petitioner J. Abdul Rahim, general secretary, Indian National League Party, submitted that on October 4, he came to know that his friend, Fakruddin, had been arrested by CB CID (Special Investigation Team.) He was illegally detained. There were also press reports that he had been taken to an unknown place by the police. The police did not inform the relatives or family about the arrest and detention.
He sent a representation to the authorities demanding the immediate release of Fakruddin.
Counsel P. Pugalenthi said the detention was illegal. Hence, Fakruddin should be produced before the court and set at liberty.
The AG said Fakrudeen was arrested in connection with the Vellaiyappan murder case registered for offences under Section 302 (murder) IPC and Section 5 of the Explosive Substances Act.
His mother, Syed Meera, who was in Madurai, had been intimated about the arrest. The accused would be dealt with as per law.
The AG undertook to file a report on the next hearing date. The Bench said it was recording the AG’s statement.
Since the legal procedure is said to have been followed, there was no necessity to issue any direction as sought for in the petition.
