AIADMK to move SC over "discharge" of DMK men

Chennai, May 4 (UNI) The opposition AIADMK today threatened to take up to the Supreme Court the ''continuous discharge'' of several persons in the DMK from corruption charges by the Madras High Court and trial courts in the state.

Expressing concern over the ''continuous discharge'' of DMK persons, AIADMK Rajya Sabha members, led by P G Narayanan, in a memorandum to the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-corruption (DVAC) Director, said ''we are interested in raising the issue in Parliament and also in the Supreme Court.'' The MPs questioned why the DVAC, the investigating agency in these cases, had not prefered to appoint an independent public prosecutor to argue the cases against the DMK party members.

The MPs demanded an explanation from DVAC on the steps taken by it to prefer special leave petition and revision petitions, challenging the discharge of the DMK leaders.

''When the discharge of so many DMK persons has occured in quick succession, it is surprising that the DVAC, which is functioning on public funds, has not taken any step to prefer any appeal or revision either in the High Court or in the Supreme Court'', they pointed out.

The MPs demanded that the Directorate respond to their memorandum within seven days.

UNI