The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Tuesday directed the State government to submit a status report in the petition filed seeking a CB-CID probe into the death of Anaikarai Muthu, a farmer from Tenkasi who allegedly died in the custody of Forest Department personnel.
Justice R. Pongiappan directed the government to submit the post mortem report and the videograph of the post mortem in a sealed cover on July 29. Anaikarai Muthu’s wife Palammal, who suspected that her husband died due to the torture in the custody of officials, filed the petition.
The government was questioned as to why the post mortem was held after 4 p.m. in violation of norms. State Public Prosecutor A. Natarajan submitted that apprehending law and order problem the Collector had asked conduct of the post mortem.
Palammal said that on July 22 at about 11 pm, her husband was picked up for ‘inquiry.’ But Forest Department personnel did not disclose reasons. It was said Anaikarai Muthu was picked up on the charge of tapping power illegally. She said that family members left for the office, where her husband had been taken for inquiry. On their way, they saw a Forest Department jeep come in the opposite direction with Anaikarai Muthu in an unconscious state. He was immediately taken to a government hospital for treatment but was declared brought dead, she said.
Alleging that her husband was tortured by the Forest Department personnel in the name of inquiry, she sought a CB-CID probe.
