CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Wednesday ordered the completion of the trial within six months against former DMK MP S Gnanathiraviam and his supporters in a criminal case regarding alleged assault on Bishop Godfrey Washington Noble over managing the property of the Tirunelveli CSI Diocese.
The court also criticised the police for failing to serve the summons, issued by the judicial magistrate court, on the accused persons on time and ordered the DGP to take action against the inspector responsible for the delay.
Justice P Velmurugan passed the order on a petition filed by the bishop seeking expeditious trial of the case.
“The judicial magistrate-I of Tirunelveli is directed to complete the trial within a period of six months from serving the copies of the charge sheets to the accused persons who shall be ordered to be present in the court on the next hearing date of September 9,” the judge said in the order, and directed the police to provide “fullest cooperation” for the trial.
Holding Inspector Thillai Nagarajan, who served at the Palayamkottai police station during the relevant period, responsible for failing to serve the summons on time, the judge ordered the DGP to take departmental action against the inspector and file an action taken report in the court.
Following the submission of Noble that he was being threatened by the accused persons, the judge ordered the DGP to instruct the jurisdictional head of the police to provide protection to him.
Slamming the police for adopting “delaying tactics” and for having a “lethargic attitude” in handling criminal complaints from the stage of registering FIR and filing charge sheet, Justice Velmurugan deplored that the common man is forced to knock the doors of the court more often to redress their grievance.
“The people are gradually losing faith in the police department due to their lethargic attitude,” he said, adding that the faith in the judiciary is also diminishing because of the non-cooperation of the police for ensuring a fair trial.
The judge blamed the police for siding with either of the parties in several cases, and noted they would take action on complaints lodged by the people if either the court issues an order or they (complaints) get media limelight.