TIRUNELVELI: A man submitted a petition to Tirunelveli Collector K P Karthikeyan on Monday, seeking to expedite court proceedings in the case of self-immolation of four members of his family in 2017. In his complaint, B Gobi alleged that the police are working hand in glove with the accused people, money lenders, who allegedly abetted the suicide.
Gobi is the brother of the deceased, Isakkimuthu. "Before the bifurcation of Tenkasi district, my brother Isakkimuthu, his wife Subbulakshmi and their two minor children ended their lives during the grievance redressal meeting at the Tirunelveli Collectorate. They were condemning the Achanputhur police, which refused to act against the money lenders, who had forced my brother to pay kanthuvatti (exorbitant interest rates) for the money he had borrowed," Gobi said in his petition. He alleged that the city police delayed inquiry in the case despite the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court ordering them to expedite it on August 4, 2022. This, Gobi said, was in contempt of the court.
Gobi added that it was based on his complaint that the Palayamkottai police had registered a case against the money lenders in 2017, under several sections of the Indian Penal Code, and the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Charging Exorbitant Interest Act. "The accused individuals are rich and come from political backgrounds. They will do anything to secure release from this case. Since the inquiry was getting delayed, I approached the High Court, which then ordered the lower court in Tirunelveli to expedite probe," said Gobi.
Gobi further alleged that one of the accused, Karthik, has not appeared before the lower court, with the Palayamkottai police lying that he has gone abroad. "The police told the same to the court. I suspect that they are working hand in glove with the accused people. I am planning on approaching the High Court once again," he said, and sought the help of the district collector.
In its order, the High Court had said that if the accused people do not cooperate in the inquiry of the case before the sessions court, the judicial magistrate is directed to cancel the bail and remand all of them, and commit the case to the sessions court in two weeks. When contacted by TNIE, Tirunelveli Police Commissioner C Mageswari said that she would check the status of the case and do the needful.