Date:10/11/2003 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2003/11/10/stories/2003111006650100.htm

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Interceptors' vehicle seized, driver identified

By Our Staff Reporter

The taxi used to intercept the car of the Editor-in-Chief of The Hindu, N. Ram, in Bangalore on Saturday. It was seized by the Bangalore High Grounds Police on Sunday. — Photo: V. Sreenivasa Murthy

BANGALORE Nov. 9. In an early breakthrough, a Bangalore Police team today seized the car used by six plainclothesmen to intercept the car in which The Hindu Editor-in-Chief, N. Ram, and its Joint Managing Director, N. Murali, were travelling with their wives here on Saturday. They were on their way to the Windsor Sheraton & Towers to attend the newspaper's anniversary dinner.

The Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central), S. Parashiva Murthy, said the car was a local taxi. Its driver told the police that the car was engaged at 4.30 p.m. on that day and its occupants had been to Ambedkar Bhavan on Miller's Road, where The Hindu's 125th anniversary function was held. The occupants had then taken the car to the hotel on Sankey Road. He said the driver had agreed to identify the occupants if they were produced before him.

The seized car with registration number KA 04 A 4334 is now in the custody of the High Grounds Police.

Dr. Murthy said the driver's version of the incident corroborated the statements of Mr. Ram and Mr. Murali. The plainclothesmen, apparently Tamil Nadu police personnel, had overtaken and blocked Mr. Ram's car near the hotel. They had sought to search the car, presumably for those against whom the Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker had issued arrest warrants on Friday.

The city Police Commissioner, S. Mariswamy, told newspersons that the plainclothesmen had not produced any arrest warrants after they intercepted Mr. Ram's car. "They may be anybody. But action will be taken against them as they have committed an offence. They searched the vehicle without revealing their identity,'' he said.

One of the interceptors had forced open the door of Mr. Ram's car and looked inside while another snatched the car keys. "They spoke Tamil,'' Mr. Mariswamy recalled.

On the team set up for the investigation, Mr. Mariswamy said it would be a combined, coordinated effort involving several police officers. The High Grounds police here had registered against the plainclothesmen a case of wrongful restraint and assault.

Mr. Mariswamy said there was no communication yet from his counterpart in Chennai on the incident. Officials of the Tamil Nadu Police had made a "courtesy call'' on the Commissioner's office on Saturday morning. But no requests had been made for assistance, he added. The State Government and the city police had taken care to ensure that there was no untoward incident at the venue of The Hindu's 125th anniversary celebrations. Invitees were screened at the entrance even as several men in khaki stood guard outside. "Adequate police protection had been provided,'' Mr. Mariswamy said.