HC notice to APP on petition seeking action against police

Madras High Court today issued notice to Additional Public Prosecutor on a petition seeking a direction to the government to take action against police officials for allegedly arresting a fast-track court judge in Coonoor on a woman Sub-inspector's complaint that he had cheated her.
When the matter came up for hearing today, the First Bench comprising Chief Justice Rajesh Kumar Agrawal and Justice M Sathyanarayanan, ordered notice be issued to the APP, Maharajan.
Tamil Nadu Advocates Association, Madras High Court Advocates Association, Women Lawyers Association and the Bar Council submitted that police, acting on a complaint from SI Uma Maheswari of an all-women police station at Coonoor, had arrested Thangaraj, judge of Coonoor FTC in Namakkal district from his home early on June 29.

To questions by Thangaraj on whether they had got permission from the district judge for his arrest, the police officers had reportedly told him there was no need for it.
The Associations also alleged police had wrongly interpreted the Supreme Court guidelines, saying intimation of arrest was given.
They pointed out that the guidelines clearly stated that before arresting a judicial officer, the District Judge or High Court has to be intimated of it.

If the Judge or court feels arrest is inevitable and relieves him from his post and after alternative arrangements are made,then only arrest is permitted, the associations said.

Police officials had wrongly interpreting the norms by claiming that he was arrested only on a holiday, they said.
The associations said the High Court has taken suo motu cognisance against the erring police officials on July 2.
They said they had already sent representations to the authorities to take action against officials involved in the arrest. As there was no response, they had filed the petition.
They sought a direction to the Chief Secretary, Home Secretary and DGP to take action against police officials for arresting the Coonoor Magistrate.
Thangaraj was arrested a day after his marriage for allegedly ditching the SI with whom he was having a relationship for three years.

Police had then claimed he had a love affair with the SI and promised to marry her. But he married another woman, following which the SI filed a complaint.
The SI had on June 21 created a flutter when she tried to barge into the Coonoor Court and staged a dharna against Thangaraj. But police officials whisked her away from there and persuaded her to talk to higher officials in Coimbatore before lodging any complaint.