CB-CID to handle cases of protesters against Salem-Chennai highway project

The Madras High Court Friday transferred to the Crime Branch-CID the cases involving those taken into preventive custody for protesting against the Salem-Chennai green corridor highway project.

A division bench, comprising Justice TS Sivagnanam and Justice Bhavani Subbaroyan, passed interim orders on a petition from advocate Rathnam seeking direction for fair and just compensation for the victims of "violations" committed by police besides a probe into the alleged violation of rights of farmers against the project.

The bench said, "In the case on hand, emotions are high among the people. There is apprehension of forceful dispossession of property among land owners."
"Therefore, a detailed and unbiased probe is required," the court said, adding that an inquiry by police would not be "efficacious and effective since the police of two districts are involved."
The bench in its order said, "Scope of inquiry should revolve upon as to the reasons of such preventive arrest; whether the police were acting at the behest or direction of different person who are not their superior officers in the hierarchy, and what precipitated such action and all matters acted and incidental thereto."
According to the petitioner, many landowners opposed the project and during a survey conducted by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), the police acted in an unruly manner and "committed violations."