Police not being used to settle scores: Karunanidhi

Chennai Aug 30 (UNI) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi today denied that police were being used to settle political scores like the previous AIADMK regime was allegedly doing.

Replying to the debate on the demand for grants for Home Department, he said the ruling DMK would not use the police for political vendetta.

Charging that the police force was used against political leaders during the first two months of the AIADMK assuming office in 2001, Mr Karunanidhi said first DMK leader Parithi Ilamvazhuthi was arrested.

''The police were used to arrest Power Minister Arcot Veerasamy's brother Devaraj followed by Parasuraman and the then Puraswalkam MLA B Ranganathan and Thamaraikani, before culminating in the midnight arrest of myself, late Union Minister Murasoli Maran, M K Stalin, T R Baalu, P T R Palanivelrajan, M K Azhagiri, K Ponmudi, Nakkeeran Editor R R Gopal,'' he said.

''These things have taken place in the first two months of the AIADMK assuming office in 2001. But the AIADMK was charging the present DMK government of being vindictive'', he said and sought to know from the Opposition what vindictive action the government had taken so far.

Stating that transfer of police officials was routine after every new government assumed office, Mr Karunanidhi said his government had appointed only one Director General of Police (DGP), Mr Mukherjee, in place of A X Alexander after assuming office.

Giving statistics, he said during the 2001-06 AIADMK regime, five DGPs were changed in the State.

He said 21 ADGPs were transferred as against 15 during the DMK regime, while 27 IGs were transferred as against 20. 86 Superintendents of Police were transfered by AIADMK government as against 92 by the DMK, the latter mainly due to promotions.

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