A day after informing the Madras High Court that 130 AIADMK MLAs, whose support V.K. Sasikala claims to have, are “free and safe in the MLAs’ hostel at Chepauk,” the State government made a volte face on Friday and took back its submission. The Public Prosecutor R. Rajarathinam told the court that the information is “incorrect”.
The Chief Prosecutor representing the State government stated that “the submission made before this court on February 9 to the effect that MLAs who are alleged to be in illegal detention are free and staying on their own volition in MLA hostel is incorrect.”
Incidentally, the AIADMK faction led by Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam had alleged that the rival Sasikala camp was holding legislators hostage at a private resort in Koovathur, on the outskirts of Chennai.
Mr. Rajarathinam made the submission when a Division Bench of Justices C. T. Selvam and T. Mathivanan sought to know the MLAs’ actual whereabouts, following the filing of habeas corpus petitions by advocates M.R. Elavarasan and V. Preetha.
The petitioners wanted a direction to the police to trace and produce Kunnam constituency MLA R.T. Ramachandran and Krishnarayapuram MLA M. Geetha who, they alleged, are missing after visiting Chennai on February 8 to attend the meeting of the AIADMK Legislature Party.
Advocate K. Balu, appearing for one of the petitioners, alleged that “20 of the detained MLAs are refusing food and drink owing to their illegal confinement.”
Noting that if it was true, the matter was of serious concern, the Bench said: “However, this court cannot act on the mere say of the counsel. Given the nature of the case, it would only be appropriate to afford the State an opportunity to inform its response.” It then Vasanth KS@Chennai, Staff Reporterposted the plea to February 13 for further hearing.
