The Madras High Court Bench here on Friday admitted a criminal appeal filed by Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) challenging a judgment passed by a lower court on December 9, 2009 acquitting all the 17 accused in the Dinakaran newspaper office attack case.
A Division Bench of Justices P.P.S. Janarthana Raja and Aruna Jagadeesan also ordered notice to all the 17 accused, including Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) V. Rajaram, V.P. Pandi alias ‘Attack' Pandi, M. Murugan alias ‘Sori' Murugan and Thirumurugan alias ‘Kaattuvasi' Murugan.
Three employees of the newspaper lost their lives when a mob hurled petrol bombs inside the office on May 9, 2007 pursuant to the publication of results of a survey which found former Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi's younger son M.K. Stalin more likely to be his political heir than the elder son M.K. Alagiri.
After preliminary investigations by the local police, the case was transferred to the CBI which filed a charge sheet against 17 individuals, including the DSP who was accused of directing the police personnel, stationed outside newspaper office on the day of attack, not to take batons or other weapons along with them.
The police officer was also accused of asking the force to remain scattered instead of showing their strength.
However, after trial, the Principal District and Sessions Court here acquitted all the accused for want of sufficient evidence to prove their guilt and hence the present appeal. The appeal was actually filed in July last year along with a petition to condone the delay of 118 days beyond the statutory period within which it had to be filed.
