CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has ordered a notice to the Tamil Nadu Home Secretary and the Commissioner of Greater Chennai Police to file a reply to a Habeas Corpus petition filed for quashing the detention of one of the accused under the Goondas Act in the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader Armstrong murder case.
A division bench of Justices SM Subramaniam and M Jothiraman issued notice on Monday when the HCP filed by Visalakshi, mother of advocate N Aswathaman, seeking orders to quash the Goondas detention against her son. The court adjourned the matter by two weeks. Aswathaman’s father Nagendran is alleged to have masterminded the heinous crime.
Visalakshi alleged that the Commissioner of Greater Chennai Police (GCP) has issued the order of detention in a “mechanical manner” without “applying his mind” and the detention order dated September 19 was not duly intimated to her or her son’s wife or brother, thereby, violating the provisions of the Act.
The petitioner also said it was recorded by the authorities that the detention order was served to Aswathaman at the Puzhal Central Prison, contrary to the fact that he was imprisoned in the special sub-jail in Poonamallee.
Aswathaman was a local functionary of the Congress party.