Southern States - Tamil Nadu   

SC declines relief to journalist

By J. Venkatesan

NEW DELHI JULY 9. The Supreme Court has declined to grant any relief to P. Sivasubramaniam, reporter of the Tamil bi-weekly, Nakkeeran, who has been in prison since November last.

It, however, asked him to approach the Madras and Karnataka High Courts for the relief sought by him in his petition.

A Bench, comprising Justice Rajendra Babu and Justice P.V. Reddy, rejected the petition, which sought quashing of the cases registered against him by the Karnataka and Tamil Nadu Governments for his alleged links with the forest brigand, Veerappan, and to release him on bail.

In his petition, Mr. Sivasubramaniam said he was arrested by the Special Task Force on November 20, 2001, and the officers took his signature in 60 blank papers and compelled him to give inculpatory statements against himself.

Thereafter, case after case was registered against him by the two Governments, alleging his involvement in various old cases associated with Veerappan.

He submitted that the two Governments were persecuting him for "exposing" the misdemeanours and serious human right violations committed by police and the STF on villagers living in the border areas of the two States.

He submitted that while the Karnataka Government had maintained that no money was paid to secure the release of the Kannada film star, Rajkumar, who was kidnapped by Veerappan, the Tamil Nadu Government had alleged that Rs. 10 crores had exchanged several hands before the actor was released.

Thereafter, he was linked with old Veerappan cases and the entire investigation process adopted by police was mala fide, motivated and tainted with procedural ultra vires.

Contending that his incarceration still continued, he prayed for quashing all the cases registered against him and to release him on bail in the meanwhile.

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