CID probe into Swamy complaint begins

By K.T. Sangameswaran

CHENNAI, JULY 31. The State `Q' branch CID has taken up investigation into a complaint by the Janata Party leader, Dr. Subramanian Swamy, alleging an attempt to frame him in a TADA case and tarnish his image by a forged photograph.

In his complaint, Dr. Swamy had stated that one Mr. P. Ravi of Thiruvaroor (cited as an accused), a ``hardcore Dravidar Kazhagam activist,'' who was a proclaimed offender in a bomb blast case, suddenly surrendered before the TADA court-III on April 16, 1995. In the affidavit filed along with the surrender petition, Mr. Ravi had said he wanted to give a statement under 164 (5) Cr.P.C. The affidavit contained wild and baseless allegations and they included that he had stayed at Dr. Swamy's house in New Delhi for a brief time to escape the clutches of law and the complainant had harboured him. In support of the above allegation, the accused filed a photograph, showing himself and another person standing with the complainant, said to have been taken at New Delhi. He also filed two inland letters alleged to have been written by his wife to him from Thiruvarur when he was allegedly staying at the Janata Party leader's house. The Designated Court rejected his prayer to record his statement as his statement was exculpatory in nature.

Dr. Swamy said the D.K. Legal Cell was ``actively involved in surrendering the above accused before the court and also they took active interest in distributing the copy of the photograph to the Press.'' The D.K. general secretary, Mr. K. Veeramani (also cited as an accused in the complaint), had stated he had ``files and files of evidence to show that Dr. Swamy had harboured the proclaimed offender and the evidence would be produced before the court at the appropriate time.''

The complainant said it was reliably learnt that forensic analysis of the photograph had revealed that it was a ``trick photograph'' and the letter was a fabricated one containing no genuine postal seal.

The Police Commissioner had refused to register his complaint in 1996. The police did not register an FIR even after a complaint in July this year.

Dr. Swamy filed the complaint in the court of XVI M.M. on June 19 this year. The court directed the city Central Crime Branch to investigate the matter. However, the wing intimated the court that it had forwarded the complaint to the `Q' branch for investigation.

Legal sources said the personnel of the special unit went to Dr. Swamy's residence once to record his statement. But as he was away in the U.S., the statement could not be recorded.

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Section  : Southern States
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