Ahead of its July 4 'fill thejails' protest against the ruling AIADMK over alleged foistingof cases against its leaders, opposition DMK today petitionedthe state police, demanding that no preventive arrests be madein line with a court judgement.
DMK Legal Wing Secretary R S Bharathi submitted amemorandum to DGP K Ramanujam, detailing a 2003 Madras HighCourt verdict obtained by the party to stage a protest againstthe then AIADMK govermment.
Referring to the court judgement, issued by the firstbench, he said it had directed the police against making anypreventive arrests, besides laying down guidelines within theCriminal Procedure Code (Cr.PC) for possible arrests.
Besides, the judgement had also said that adequateprotection should be given during the protests, he said.
"Keeping in lines with the High Court judgement, I requestyou to give directions to the police force accordingly,"Bharathi said in the memorandum.
Meanwhile, DMK chief M Karunanidhi recalled that his party had moved the court in 2003 following plans by the thenAIADMK government to allegedly make preventive arrests of hiscolleagues, ahead of a protest in Chennai.
Replying to a set of questions in the party mouthpiece'Murasoli', he said the High Court bench directed policemenagainst making any preventive arrests from their residentialpremises and that "this shall not preclude police fromexcercising their power under Section 151 of Cr.PC when thereis an actual attempt to commit any cognizable offence inpublic place."