A group of lawyers on Thursday orally complained to the Acting Chief Justice R.K.Agrawal about the behaviour of Tamil Nadu Director-General of Police K. Ramanujam when they wanted to submit a representation to him.
S. Prabakaran, president of the Tamil Nadu Advocates’ Association, mentioned before the First Bench comprising the Acting Chief Justice and Justice M.Sathyanarayanan that he, along with office-bearers of other advocates’ associations, went to meet the DGP to submit a representation against the Anju Gramam police in Kanyakumari district, which had registered a case against 20 lawyers of Karur. The case was registered based on a complaint from a hotel where the advocates had stayed during their tour. The advocates had also filed a complaint against the hotel.
But the top police official, who was a public servant, refused to meet them. He also shouted at them, Mr.Prabakaran alleged.
The Acting Chief Justice asked Mr.Prabakaran to submit the matter in writing.
According to police sources, the advocates sought to meet Mr. Ramanujam at the police headquarters here. Since there were about 60-70 of them, the police denied them access and told them that only a delegation of four or five could be allowed.
At this stage, about 20 advocates allegedly forced their way to the first floor of the building where the office of the DGP is located. On hearing the news, Mr. Ramanujam came out and told them that there was no need for a large crowd to come and represent a grievance, the sources said.
Irked over this, the advocates left, saying that they would not meet the DGP. “They had come to protest the case registered against some advocates on charges of ransacking a hotel in Kanyakumari district. Police only advised them that such a large group of people is usually not allowed to enter the DGP’s office,” a senior police official said.
