MADURAI: A week after the Madurai Bench of Madras High Court recommended the Chief Justice to take action against Melur Judicial Magistrate K V Mahendra Boopathy for failing to comply with its orders in the granite scam cases, a two-member judges team inquired him in his chamber on Thursday.
Principal District Judge A M Basheer Ahamed, and Chief Judicial Magistrate P Saravanan, made a surprise visit, and held an inquiry in his chamber for about two hours. Court sources claimed that they questioned him about his ruling on two private complaints preferred by former Madurai Collector Anshul Mishra against two granite companies including PRP Granites.
The Melur JM had two days ago dismissed two petitions filed by the district administration against the two firms for stacking granite illegally on patta lands.
He had acquitted the accused and ordered a case against Mishra for “suppressing facts” and two special public prosecutors Gnanagiri and Sheila for connivance after getting government nod.
A week ago, the HC directed Boopathy to take cognizance of all the charges that attract provisions of the Mines and Minerals Development Act or Tamil Nadu Property (Prevention of Damage and Loss) Act, made in the charge sheets of illegal granite quarrying cases. But he had taken cognizance for lesser offence under Section 379 of IPC (Punishment for theft).