: For the AIADMK MLAs backing Sasikala and staying at the Golden Bay Resorts at Koovathur, Wednesday turned to be an eventful and dramatic day.
The day started with rumours that Sevur S. Ramachandran, Minister for HR&CE, has escaped from the resort. However, Mr. Ramachandran emerged from the resort and said he was safe and was staying there of his own free will. More MLAs, including women MLAs, were presented before the media to prove the point that none was being forcefully detained.
Elambai Tamil Selvan, Perambalur MLA, said, “There are 125 MLAs at the resort and all are free. We will vacate the resort once the Governor calls on Edappadi Palaniswami, leader of the AIADMK legislature party. A few more MLAs echoed similar views and said they were upset about the delay on the Governor’s part in taking a decision.
Meanwhile, Kanchipuram District Police registered a criminal case against AIADMK interim general secretary V.K. Sasikala for allegedly kidnapping party MLAs and detaining them at the resort.
It may be recalled that immediately after Sasikala was elected as Leader of the AIADMK Legislature Party on February 8, the MLAs were taken in buses to the Golden Bay Resort. A few days later, Madurai (South) MLA S.Saravanan “escaped” from there and complained that he was illegally confined by Sasikala and others.
Acting on his complaint, the Koovathur police registered a case against Sasikala and unknown others under Sections 342 (punishment for wrongful confinement), 343 (wrongful confinement for three or more days), 365 (kidnapping or abducting with intent secretly and wrongfully to confine person), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter a public servant from discharge of his duty) and 506(i) (criminal intimidation) of Indian Penal Code.
However, things turned dramatic in the afternoon as a police team led by Mutharasi, Superintendent of Police, Kancheepuram district entered the premises to ascertain whether the MLAs are being illegally confined.
There was a war of words between the cadre and the MLAs on one side and the police on the other, as the latter asked everyone apart from the MLAs to go away from the resort.
Police recorded independent statements from the MLAs on why they continued to remain at the resort.
Radhapuram MLA I.S. Inbadurai said, “The complaint is false and has been lodged with malafide intention.”
