Encounter death: Madras HC pulls up TN police

Chennai, July 15 (UNI) Madras High Court today rapped the Tamil Nadu police for killing rowdy sheeter Baba Suresh in an encounter on July 11 when habeas corpus petition, seeking his production in court, was pending before the court.

Admitting the petition filed by Suresh's wife Devi, a Division Bench, comprising Mr Justice M Chockalingam and Mr Justice R Subbiah, expressed dismay at the Government Pleader's submission that the police was not aware of the petition.

The Bench ordered notice to the State Home Secretary, the Director General of Police and the City Police Commissioner and posted the matter to July 21 for further hearing.

In her petition, Devi submitted that when she went to the Puzhal prison on July nine to meet her husband, the jail authorities had told her that he had been taken to the Egmore court. When she reached the court, the police had taken him somewhere else. The next day, police had created a story that her husband was absconding from the Government General Hospital where he was admitted for treatment, she added.

She submitted that R K Nagar Police Inspector Jawahar visited her house and threatened her that her husband would be killed in police custody. Apprehending encounter death, she had filed the petition.

UNI XR GD RL VC1938