HC directs CCB official to appear before it

The Madras High Court today directed a senior official of the Central Crime Branch to appear before it on June 14 in connection with the probe into the death of a prisoner in 2007 in Salem.
Hearing a petition filed by P Pugalenthi, Director, Prisoners Rights Forum, here seeking expedition of the probe, Justice P N Prakash also ordered issue of notice to Additional Public Prosecutor, who sought time to get instructions on the issue.
Referring to a report by then Deputy Jailor of Salem central Prison V Karuppan, Pugalenthi said Sukumar had complained of chest pain and when the Deputy Jailor made arrangements for an ambulance to take him to a hospital, the prison wardens were prevented by a group of prisoners led by former minister Selvaganapathi, from taking him for treatment.

They had smashed the stretcher before Sukumar was taken into the ambulance resulting in his death on June 9, 2007, the petition said.
Pugalenthi submitted that despite report of the Deputy Jailor, no criminal case was registered against the group which prevented the wardens from taking Sukumar to the hospital.
He submitted that he had lodged a complaint on May 25, 2013 against those who prevented Sukumar from being taken to the hospital, but the government failed to register a case, following which he moved the High Court seeking a direction to register a case on his complaint in the same year.

The court then had entrusted the investigation of the case to M Ramakrishnan, Assistant Commissioner of Police, CCB, with a direction to conduct the probe and submit a final report to the Jurisdictional Judicial Magistrate.
Even after 16 months, the investigation by the official is yet to be concluded, Pugalenthi contented and prayed the court to direct the officer to complete the probe and submit the final report within a reasonable time.