The Hindu : SC permits plea against release of Veerappan associates

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Jul 19, 2003

National

National

SC permits plea against release of Veerappan associates

By J. Venkatesan

NEW DELHI July 18. The Supreme Court today permitted former Karnataka police officer, Abdul Karim, whose son was killed by the forest brigand Veerappan's gang, to challenge a judgment of the Special TADA Court, Mysore, acquitting 109 accused and sentencing 14, all said to be associates of Veerappan.

A Bench, comprising Justice Y.K. Sabharwal and Justice B.N. Agrawal asked Mr. Karim to file additional documents and records in four weeks.

The Special Judge, in his judgment dated September 29, 2001, had sentenced seven persons to life imprisonment and seven others were found guilty of related offences, including possession of arms without licence in the notified areas.

However, six of them were set free as they were in jail during the trial for a period longer than the punishment under the law for proven charges.

One who had served two years imprisonment before coming out bail was directed to serve the remaining term.

The Special TADA Court had tried 123 persons who were arrested in connection with the Ramapura Police Station case, the Harikrishna and Shakeel murder case, the Palar blast, and the Gopal Hosur case.

Aggrieved against the trial court's order, Mr. Karim had filed this appeal.

It was on the petition filed by Mr. Kareem in 2000, the Supreme Court stayed the release of some of these TADA detenus in exchange for the release of the Kannada matinee idol, Rajkumar, who was kidnapped by Veerappan in July 2000.

In the present appeal, he submitted that the trial in the TADA court was conducted by the prosecution in a ``most callous manner resulting in miscarriage of justice''.

He alleged that the Karnataka Government had deliberately conducted a hasty trial to secure the quick release of the detenus.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

National