1. Vachathi atrocities | Madras HC upholds conviction, sentence
The Madras High Court dismissed all criminal appeals filed against the conviction and sentences imposed against a host of officials from the forest, police and revenue departments for the atrocities committed on the residents Vachathi tribal village in Dharmapuri district 31 years ago.
Justice P. Velmurugan confirmed the conviction as well as punishment ranging from one to seven years of rigorous imprisonment imposed by Dharmapuri Principal Sessions Judge S. Kumaraguru on this date in 2011. The convicts include Indian Forest Service (IFS) officials who had raided the village for smuggled sandalwood.
The court directed Tamil Nadu government to pay a compensation of ₹10 lakh each to the 18 rape victims and to initiate appropriate action against the then Collector, Superintendent of Police and District Forest Officer for having failed to take action despite complaints regarding the atrocities.
Parties including Communist Party of India (Marxist), Pattali Makkal Katchi and Tamil Maanila Congress have hailed the verdict.
2. CPI (M) will continue to oppose both BJP and AIADMK: Balakrishnan
The CPI (M) will continue to oppose the BJP as well as the AIADMK, its state secretary K. Balakrishnan said in Coimbatore.
On the constituencies that the CPI (M) will contest in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Mr. Balakrishnan said the CPI (M) will repeat the 2019 formula and will persuade DMK to allocate the Madurai and Coimbatore Lok Sabha seats.
Ridiculing Mr. Annamalai over the Karnataka state unit of the BJP conducting bandh opposing release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu, Mr. Balakrishnan said South West monsoon deficit was only 27 per cent in Karnataka and water in reservoirs were 52 per cent. He also stated that Karnataka was hiding water in check dams, lakes and ponds, that is why 27 per cent rainfall has resulted in 48 per cent shortage of water in reservoirs.
3. Justice Anand Venkatesh of Madras High Court to go to Madurai, Justice Jayachandran allotted MP/MLA portfolio
Justice N. Anand Venkatesh of the Madras High Court will not continue to hear the suo motu revision petitions taken up by the court against the discharge/acquittal of six sitting as well as former Ministers of Tamil Nadu, from disproportionate assets as well as other criminal cases, since he is slated to sit in the Madurai Bench of the High Court during the next roster.
Justice Venkatesh is among the 11 judges chosen from the principal seat of the High Court in Chennai to hold sitting in the Madurai Bench from October 3 to December 22. Therefore, he would not be able to continue the hearing of the six suo motu revision petitions taken up since August 10.
It is a regular feature for the Madras High Court to keep changing the allocation of portfolio to its judges once in three months and the Chief Justice, being the master of the roster, takes a call on such allocation.
Published - September 29, 2023 06:53 pm IST
