Chief Justice of the Madras High Court Indira Banerjee on Monday said it was for the police to take necessary action on an anonymous letter received by Justice M. Sundar threatening to do away with his family for having delivered a split verdict in the 18 MLAs disqualification case.
When a lawyer mentioned about a report regarding the threat that appeared in The Hindu on Sunday, the Chief Justice said: “We don’t know who has done it. The matter has been reported to the police. So, apart from beefing up security, I am sure they must be looking into that aspect also.”
In his submissions, advocate R. Krishnamurthy said he was shocked to read the report. “Being a part of the legal fraternity, I feel that acts of issuing threats to judges should be dealt with an iron hand,” he said.
He insisted that the author of the letter should be arrested and the intelligence wing in the State police must be ordered to trace its origin.
However, the Chief Justice told him that those who issue threats to judges either write anonymous letters or use the names of others.
“No one will take the risk of writing a letter in his own name and get arrested. Now, it is for the policemen to look into it and take action,” she said.
In his dissenting judgment delivered on June 14, Justice Sundar, differing with the Chief Justice, held that the Assembly Speaker’s September 18 order disqualifying the 18 MLAs was liable to be struck down on grounds of perversity, mala fide and non-compliance with the principles of natural justice.
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