By S.Dorairaj
CUDDALORE DEC. 3. Even as a controversy is raging over Karnataka’s move to send Kolathur Mani, an activist of Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam for negotiations with the forest brigand, Veerappan, to secure the release of a former Minister, H. Nagappa, two human rights activists — P. Kalyani and G. Sugumaran — who played a role in bringing the Rajkumar abduction episode to an end, today accused the police of `committing a breach of trust’, summoning them to tender evidence in the two year-old case.
Prof. Kalyani and Mr. Sugumaran, treasurer and secretary, Federation for People’s Rights-Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry, in a statement here said the inspector of the Special Investigation Cell of the CB-CID, Bangalowpudhur police, had sent witness summonses, dated November 17 and 23, asking them to appear before him at the district police office, Erode.
The inspector said he had collected evidence that the activists were aware of the facts in the abduction case registered by the Thalawadi police in Erode district under various sections of the IPC, Section 5 of the Explosive Substances Act 1908, Section 27(2) of the Arms Act 1959, and 21(d) of the TNF Act.
Both Prof. Kalyani and Mr. Sugumaran said they had sent telegrams expressing their inability to appear before the inspector on November 22. Even before they could despatch a detailed letter, the second summons was delivered on November 24, on the ground that they had not given any “satisfactory explanation” for not appearing before him. The officer asked them to appear before him at 10 a.m. on December 1 “for interrogation and to produce all relevant documents.”
Recalling the terms agreed to by the Tamil Nadu and Karnataka Governments in October 2000, the rights activists replied to the investigating officer saying there was “no need for them to give evidence.” The fifth point of the 10-point agreement clearly said if any criminal case was registered against the bandit and his men by any of the State Government in future, in connection with the abduction of the Kannada actor, the emissaries “would not be summoned to give evidence against Veerappan and his men in such cases.”
The two Governments had also assured then that no criminal prosecution would be set in motion for any of their activities during the mission and that none of the police authorities would require them to give evidence by way of statement or deposition as witness for any of the occurrences during the mission, Prof. Kalyani and Mr. Sugumaran claimed. They had undertaken the mission along with the Tamilar Desiya Iyakkam leader, P. Nedumaran, and others only on these assurances.
The police summons now amounted to flouting of the assurances, they alleged. The activists also expressed an apprehension that the Tamil Nadu police were attempting to “foist” cases against them as their Karnataka counterparts had done in the case of the Nakkeeran journalist, Sivasubramaniam, and Mr. Mani.
The Hindu / 04.12.2002.
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