TIRUNELVELI: The Tamil Nadu State Commission for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes on Friday ordered the Inspector General of Police (South Zone) to arrest Tirunelveli Superintendent of Police (SP) P Saravanan and produce him before the commission on December 28 in connection with an inquiry of a case filed by a Scheduled Caste man.
M Paramanantham of Sivanthipatti had earlier submitted a petition before the commission against a few persons who encroached on his land's pathway and fenced it. The commission sent a notice to the SP on June 10 to submit an inquiry report over this petition.
"Since he did not respond to the notice, the commission sent another notice giving some more time to the SP. Since there was no response to the second notice too, the commission summoned the SP on October 27. However, he failed to appear on that date. He was given another opportunity to appear on November 30, but he sent the Additional Superintendent of Police Marirajan on his behalf. The SP thinks that the commission's orders are not binding on him," read the order by the commission.
The commission also ordered Collector V Vishnu to collect a fine amount of `500 from the SP under Section 9 of the Tamil Nadu State Commission for the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes Act, 2021.
When contacted by TNIE, Saravanan said he had already responded to the notices of the commission by post. "After I came to know that the commission did not receive my first reply, I again responded to it. I will move an appeal against the commission's order," he added.