Katju tells Tamil Nadu CM to suspend 30 errant cops or quit

Hyderabad, April 5: The Press Council of India (PCI) today asked the Tamil Nadu chief minister to suspend 30 policemen involved in the illegal arrest of an editor of a daily nearly three years ago, or resign.

Taking serious note of the government's inability to comply with earlier orders in the case, PCI chairman Markanday Katju directed the state administration to immediately suspend, chargesheet and arrest the policemen. The PCI chief said a chief minister should resign, if he or she is unable to rule in accordance with the Constitution.

During an opening hearing by the inquiry committee here, Justice Katju said it was deeply regrettable that Tamil Nadu authorities showed total disrespect to orders passed twice last year.

The PCI was dealing with a complaint by S. Manimaran, editor, "Thinaboomi", a Tamil daily published from Madurai.

The editor alleged that policemen barged into his house July 21, 2010 and took him away, along with his son, without a warrant. They were jailed and treated like criminals by the police, he said.

Maniraman alleged that he was targeted for his writing against illegal granite mining in Madurai district.

When the lawyer representing the Tamil Nadu government pointed out that it was the DMK which was in power at the time the incident occurred, Katju remarked that his order was not against any particular party.

IANS