Date:29/08/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/08/29/stories/2008082960760900.htm

Tamil Nadu

Habeas corpus plea to produce Premananda

Special Correspondent

Hearing adjourned to September 6 for posting along with another application

CHENNAI: A habeas corpus petition has been filed seeking a direction to official authorities to produce Swami Premananda and Kamalananda, now confined in the Central Prisons at Cuddalore and Tiruchirappalli respectively, before the court and set them at liberty.

In his affidavit, Kamalananda submitted that he and Swami Premananda were sentenced to double life imprisonment by the Principal Sessions Judge (PSJ), Pudukottai.

Their appeal before the High Court was dismissed in December 2002. Their SLPs and review petitions before the Supreme Court were also dismissed.

They were arrested in November 1994 and they were now undergoing the unexpired portion of the sentence. They were not released on bail.

In view of the observations made by the PSJ, they had been deprived of any remission or amnesty to be announced either by the State or Central governments in future.

The jail authorities had already considered similarly placed lifers for premature release in connection with the birthday of the former Chief Minister, C.N.Annadurai. Hence their detention was illegal and unjust.

A Division Bench comprising Justices Prabha Sridevan and V.Periyakaruppiah adjourned the matter to September 6 for posting along with another application.