HC declines to direct cops to register FIR against MP's wife

The Madras High Court today dismissed as "devoid of merit" criminal original petitions seeking a direction to police to register an FIR against T Banumathi, wife of AIADMK MP Thambidurai, in a land-grab complaint.
Petitioners, P.G. Saleem, N.Mohan and Umaprasad, had alleged that Banumathi had misused the official position of her husband to grab their property. The petitioners had purchased some land, surrounding which was an engineering college established by her.
On their complaint, police had filed status reports closing the complaints stating that the matter was civil in nature. The petitions were filed challenging this.
Declining to direct police to register an FIR, Justice P.N. Prakash said "police is correct in closing the complaints stating that the matter is civil in nature."

The judge, while finding that the civil cases are pending adjudication in the matter, said "it is obvious that Saleem and Umaprasad have purchased the property knowing fully well that their property is landlocked and it belongs to the college."
"From the site map produced by the parties, it is obvious that the compound wall has been built around the property belonging to the college as security for hostelers and students in the northern side and the entire southern side has been left empty.

That apart, the complaint given by the petitioners does not disclose the commission of cognizable offence and just because the land around them has been purchased by Banumathi and the access is being blocked on the northern side, no criminal prosecution can be launched against the college authorities," the judge said.

Refuting the contention of I.Subramanian, counsel for petitioners, that they were threatened by college authorities, the judge said "on a reading of the complaint, it neither discloses the date nor it discloses the name of the person who allegedly intimidated the complainant.
As a result, the petitions are devoid of merits and they are accordingly dismissed.