CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Friday severely criticised Tamil Nadu Finance Minister N Marie Wilson for not appearing before the Judicial Magistrate Court in Puducherry in connection with the case related to assaulting his sister-in-law, adding that no one can think they are above the law.
Hearing the petitions filed by Marie Wilson seeking to stay the summons issued by the judicial magistrate court and quashing the case, Justice V Lakshminarayanan on Friday asked whether Wilson thinks of himself as the King of England for him not to appear before the court. “When you were an MLA, you appeared in court; but after becoming a minister, you have been staying away,” the judge said, adding that “nobody is above”.
Advocate Haja Mohideen Gisthi, appearing for the minister, said his client has gone on a pilgrimage to the Velankanni shrine and he shall be exempted from appearing in the judicial magistrate court till August 31. He also told the court the dispute between him and his brother’s family arose due to adoption of children and ill-treatment meted out to such a child.
Stating that the minister is withdrawing the petition since a fresh charge sheet has been filed in the Puducherry court, the counsel sought the court to exempt him from appearing in the court till August 31. Subsequently, the judge permitted the withdrawal of the petition and granted the exemption.