CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has permitted TTV Dhinakaran, deputy general secretary of the AIADMK (Amma), to examine the first prosecution witness in the 1996 FERA violation case, by fixing a date.
For this purpose, he should appear before the Economic Offences Court in Egmore on August 16 and this procedure should be concluded before August 31, Justice MS Ramesh said while disposing of a criminal original petition from Dhinakaran.
Petitioner’s counsel Jinasenan submitted that the accused has to be given an opportunity for cross- examining prosecution witness before framing the charges. However, the EO court, without giving the opportunity, had framed the charges. The provision of Sec. 264(4) of the CrPC has not been complied with, he argued. Special Public Prosecutor for EO Hema submitted that the investigating officer was a retired officer and he had to come from Bengaluru.
A date may be fixed for cross-examining him by the accused and without prolonging the proceedings, the procedure may be concluded before August 31. Accordingly, the judge gave the direction on Thursday.