The Central Bureau of Investigation on Tuesday filed charge sheets in the case pertaining to violent incidents on the Madras High Court campus here on February 19, 2009.
According to sources in the agency, charge sheets were filed against 31 advocates, about 10 police personnel and one Law College student under various provisions of the IPC and Tamil Nadu Property (Prevention of Damage and Loss) Act, 1992. Departmental action was recommended against 22 police personnel.
The CBI made no comments on the role, conduct and culpability of former Chennai Police Commissioner, K. Radhakrishnan, former Additional Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) A.K. Viswanathan, former Joint Commissioner of Police (North) M. Ramasubramaniam and former Deputy Commissioner of Police (Flower Bazaar) Prem Anand Sinha, as the matter was pending in the Supreme Court.
The case pertains to the clash between police and advocates on the Madras High Court premises in which many advocates, police personnel, journalists and one High Court Judge Arumuga Perumal Adityan were injured. A police station and scores of vehicles were damaged in fire and pelting of stones.
The Madras High Court ordered a probe by the CBI in the case. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) was constituted by the CBI Director to investigate the cases. The agency filed six charge sheets in the Court of Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Chennai.
During investigation, the SIT interviewed two Madras High Court Judges and examined 653 persons, including 197 advocates, 245 policemen, 81 court staff members and 27 persons from the media. Original recordings relating to the incidents were arranged from television channels and sent for forensic examination to ascertain authentication.
The guidance of the retired Supreme Court Judge B.N. Srikrishna was sought by the CBI during investigation and for finalising its recommendations. On the basis of material evidence collected during the investigation, the charge sheets were filed.
The charges against the police and advocates include offences of criminal conspiracy, rioting, unlawful assembly, causing simple/grievous hurt, causing simple/grievous hurt to deter the public servant from discharge of his duty, mischief by fire, criminal trespass in order to commit offence and causing damage to public/private properties, the sources added.
