Two days after the Madras High Court indicted four top police officials for the February 19 lawyer—police clash inside the court premises, Chief Minister, M. Karunanidhi, on Saturday came out in defence of the men in uniform, saying they should not be criticised due to a “few isolated incidents.”
Listing out the achievements of the force in the last three years since the DMK came to power, Mr. Karunanidhi said, the force performed well, especially in 2009.
“Police personnel face many challenges while discharging duty. They risk their lives for the maintenance of law and order and social peace and we should laud them for this,” the DMK Chief said in a letter to his partymen today.
Mr. Karunanidhi, who holds the Home and Police portfolio, in an apparent reference to High Court incident said, “The police should not be criticised for a few isolated incidents, as this would put a black mark on their otherwise illustrious career.” This would not only “make them hesitant” to perform but also turn out to be a societal issue, he said.
The High Court had held the then City Police Commissioner and present ADGP (Law and Order) K. Radhakrishnan and three others “squarely responsible” for the incident.
The Court had ordered for issuance of contempt notices against them, for deploying additional armed forces inside the HC premises on February 19th, even after Janata Party President, Subramanian Swamy, left the premises.
It found the police guilty of entering the premises, in disguise of chasing lawyers, and causing extensive damages to property.
