Plea to de-seal buildings

Russ Foundation, Madurai, on Thursday moved the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court seeking a direction to the district authorities to de-seal two of its buildings. The buildings were sealed in 2019 following allegations of sexual assault on a girl inmate of the home run by the foundation.

Justice J. Nisha Banu directed the district authorities to consider the representation made by Russ Foundation’s secretary Berlin Jose and pass appropriate orders. The petitioner, Berlin Jose, said valuables such as cameras, laptops, televisions, computers, mics and amplifiers were left inside the sealed buildings.

Berlin Jose and his employee John Prabhakar had been arrested and remanded in judicial custody in connection with the case. A detention order under the Goondas Act was passed against them.

Later, the detention order was set aside and bail was granted by the High Court. The authorities sealed the buildings without passing any orders, he said.