T.N. Govt. orders release of Maran, Baalu

By Our Tamil Nadu Bureau

CHENNAI, JULY 2. The Tamil Nadu Government today ordered the release of Union Ministers, Mr. Murasoli Maran and Mr. T. R. Baalu, who were held for alleged assault of State police personnel during the arrest of the former Chief Minister, Mr. Karunanidhi on June 30.

As no release order was handed over to Mr. Maran and Mr. Baalu, their status of detention remained unclear. Police said tonight that the two Ministers ``were free to go.'' While Mr. Maran's police guards were withdrawn from the hospital, where he is under judicial custody, Mr. Baalu remained in the Vellore prison.

The Ministers' counsel, Mr. Shanmugasundaram, claimed that they continued to be under ``detention'' as they had not moved bail and the State Government had not withdrawn the cases against them.

Counsel said the State Government had asked Mr. Baalu to give an undertaking that he would appear before the authorities when required. However, the Minister, who had been remanded to custody till July 14, refused to sign the undertaking.

The cases against the two Ministers should be withdrawn, counsel said.

Mr. Dayanidhi Maran, son of Mr. Murasoli Maran, said the State police had not handed over the ``release'' order till this evening, but the police personnel had been withdrawn. ``He is technically under detention.''

Mr. Maran's remand expires tomorrow, but he is likely to stay in the hospital for another couple of days as the ``pace- maker'' had slightly shifted because of the police assault on his chest, Mr. Dayanidhi Maran said.

There was high drama in the Vellore prison where Mr. Baalu is lodged. He refused to sign any undertaking or come out on bail. Police sources said he demanded `withdrawal' of the case against him.

The Vellore District Collector, Mr. A.C. Mohandoss, tried to convince Mr. Baalu, but failed in his mission. He was stated to be in touch with Chennai to decide on a course of action.

Earlier, the Director-General of Police, Mr. A. Ravindranath, told presspersons that the police had submitted to the court that there was no need to continue keeping the two Union Ministers in remand. Hence they were being released on bail. Investigation of the cases had not been completed. The question of the fate of the cases (whether to close them or not) would be decided later. ``There is no point in keeping the two in remand.''

Asked who had moved the bail applications, Mr. Ravindranath replied, ``We have done it on our own (making the submission before the court). For such high dignitaries there is no need for such application.''

Later, an official press release merely said the State Government had decided to release the two Union Ministers who had been arrested for offences committed by them during the arrest of Mr. Karunanidhi.

Meanwhile, the two Union Ministers filed an application in the XVIII Metropolitan Magistrate's Court, Saidapet, seeking copies of certain documents in connection with the cases pending against them.

In their identical applications, they sought the copies of the FIR with complaint, arrest card, remand report, remand order, statement given by them before the court at the time of remand, and the petition filed by their counsel for medical treatment to the accused along with the order passed by the court.

The Ministers said they needed to send these records to the Lok Sabha Speaker ``very urgently.''

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