Probe no hurdle to action against police: Karunanidhi

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI, JULY 18. The DMK president, Mr. M. Karunanidhi, today asserted that there were precedents, including under the previous AIADMK regime, of action having been taken against erring policemen despite the institution of a judicial probe by the Government of the day.

Questioning the present Government's bid to ``shield'' the police officials, who behaved ``high-handedly'' during his arrest on June 30, without taking action on the ground that the Raman Commission had been appointed to probe the incidents, Mr.Karunanidhi said the precedents required a more careful look.

``It is not true to say action has never been taken against erring police officials once a judicial probe was ordered,'' argued Mr.Karunanidhi, citing the Justice Palaniappan Commission set up by the AIADMK regime in July 1992 to enquire into the rape of one Padmini in police custody at Chidambaram.

A day after the commission was instituted, the Government suspended six police personnel of the Annamalai Nagar police station, Mr. Karunanidhi told a press conference here, responding to queries on the charges made by the Chief Minister, Ms. Jayalalithaa, yesterday.

Again, soon after the Coimbatore serial blasts in February 1998, Mr. Nanjil Kumaran, then Police Commissioner, was charged and transferred by the DMK Government even before the Gokulakrishnan Commission gave its findings.

Disagreeing with Ms.Jayalalithaa's contention that the AIADMK boycotted the Gokulakrishnan probe as her ``party had nothing to do with the incidents,'' Mr. Karunanidhi said that on the contrary the strongest reaction to that judge heading the probe came from the AIADMK leader, who dubbed him ``pro-DMK''.

After having made all these statements, for Ms. Jayalalithaa now to describe him (Mr.Karuannidhi) as ``lacking in decency and being amateurish'' was extremely painful, the DMK leader said.

Brushing aside her remark terming an ``after-thought'' his charge of a plot to kill him after his arrest, Mr.Karunanidhi said he only shared the information which he came to know later.

Refuting Ms.Jayalalithaa's allegation that he had ``betrayed'' MGR, the DMK leader asked whether she was ready to explain the charges then openly traded by her and Mrs.Janaki Ramachandran on the circumstances which led to the death of the AIADMK founder.

The DMK would have no reservations about demanding a CBI probe into the 'suicide' by the entire family of a city-based civil contractor, Ramesh, close to the DMK youth wing leader, Mr.Stalin, if the police investigation was not satisfactory, Mr.Karunanidhi said to another question.

On the NDA allies, MGR-ADMK and Puthiya Tamizhagam, not being averse to the PMK's entry into the front if it leader, Dr. S. Ramadoss, came with a long-term perspective, Mr. Karunanidhi said the PMK was yet to firmly articulate its view beyond expressing its keenness to rejoin the NDA. ``I will speak to the Prime Minister when the issue comes up,'' he added.

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Section  : Southern States
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