MADURAI: The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court directed a trial court to complete committal proceedings within two weeks in a case of four of a family who died by suicide in 2017 after usury menace.
The court was hearing a petition filed by P Gopi of Achanputhur. He said the accused were identified and a case was filed in October 2017, immediately after the death of the family. Five years later, the accused are still scot-free and not cooperating in the case. The petitioner sought speedy justice and petitioned the Bench to direct the trial court to hear the case on a day-to-day basis and complete the proceedings.
Esakkimuthu and Subulakshmi of Kasitharmam village in Tirunelveli borrowed money on different occasions from a local usurer, Muthulakshmi, a year before their death. According to Gopi, Esakkimuthu’s brother, the family repaid nearly Rs 2,40,000 even though the loan only totalled to Rs 1,45,000. However, due to continued harassment by Muthulakshmi and Thalavairaj demanding an exorbitant interest, the couple and their two children, Madhu Aaranya and Atchayabharani, died by suicide in front of the Collector’s office.
In their dying declaration, the couple told the police about the usury menace. The Palayamkottai police then registered a case against T Muthulakshmi, K Thalavairaj, Kali Thevar and Karthick on October 23, 2017.
Gopi said the inspector later filed an action drop report at the Judicial Magistrate Court I in February 2018, which prompted him to file a petition in the court and the case was again taken for committal proceeding. The trial court in August 2018 issued notice to the investigation officers and the accused of the case. The accused did not appear before the court, which led to the case being periodically postponed. The court also posted the matter for June 2022, he said.
After hearing the petition, Justice Sivagnanam directed the trial court to issue a warrant to the accused if they didn’t cooperate.