The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Wednesday directed three government officials involved in the Theni land scam to appear before the CB-CID officials for an inquiry with the relevant records in 10 days.
Justice K. Murali Shankar observed that the police, after considering the records, should get permission from the Judicial Magistrate concerned and arrest them, if necessary, for custodial interrogation.
The court was hearing the anticipatory bail petitions filed by Tahsildar Ratnamala, Divisional Deputy Tahsildar Mohanram and Land Surveyor Sakthivel. The three are among the many government officials who have been named as accused in the land scam.
The case of the prosecution was that without proper application and procedure, government lands were transferred online in the names of individuals, mostly to the relatives of the government officials.
The court took note of the fact that the main accused, Anna Prakash, former AIADMK union secretary, who had arranged the transactions, was arrested and sent to judicial custody. The pattas issued online were cancelled.
The court observed that if the petitioners failed to appear before the police for the inquiry, the police were at liberty to proceed against them in accordance with law. Earlier, the court had directed a few others connected to the case, including the family members of Anna Prakash, to appear before the CB-CID for inquiry. The petitions were disposed of with the direction.
Director General of Police C….
