'Nakkeeran' Gopal files contempt case against police officers

Chennai, Mar 8 (UNI) The Madras High Court today ordered notices to suspended DIG A P Mohammed Ali and eight other police officers in connection with a contempt of court case.

A Division Bench comprising Mr Justice P K Misra and Mr Justice R Sudhakar ordered notices to Mohammed Ali, C Sridhar, SP,CBCID, K S Madhavan, DSP, CBCID, N Padmanaban, DSP, K Nagarajan, DSP, Coimbatore, C Kanagaraj, Inspector of Police, Niligiris Limit, B Senthilkumar, Inspector of Police, CBCID, J Lakshmanasamy, Inspector of Police, Erode and Sethu, Inspector of Police, CBCID on a contempt application filed by 'Nakkeeran' Gopal.

In his petition, Mr Gopal submitted he was severely beaten and abused by the police after his arrest on April 11, 2003.

Despite repeated queries on the offence he had committed, the police did not give any answer.

The police officers who arrested him did not record memo of arrest nor showed any interest to involve the members of the public as witnesses though the arrest was made at a market place in full view of the public.

Only after the Magistrate told him he came to know that a case was registered against him for alleged possession of country-made pistol and a pamphlet in support of a banned organisation.

Denying the accusations, he told the magistrate it was a false allegation. The police forcefully prevented him from making complaint to the magistrate and dragged him back, Gopal contended.

A case was registered against him under Arms Act and sedition.

Later it was made a POTA crime, he added.

He alleged the CBCID police violated the requirements laid down by the Supreme Court in D K Basu Case in the arrest, interrogation, custody and remand in the case.

Hence they are liable to be punished under the Contempt of Court Act, he said and sought to punish the police officials for violating the requirements laid down by the apex court.

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