MADURAI/SIVAGANGA: As per directions of Chief Minister M K Stalin, Cooperatives Minister K R Periakaruppan handed over the appointment order for a government job to B Naveenkumar, the brother of custodial death victim Ajithkumar, at his home on Wednesday.
Naveenkumar, who currently works in a private firm, has been appointed as senior factory assistant of Sivaganga District Co-operative Milk Producers Union Ltd (Aavin) in Karaikudi. A housing plot of three cents has also been allotted to the family.
Speaking to reporters, Minister Periakaruppan said on behalf of DMK, a sum of Rs 5 lakh has been given to the family. He added that the DMK and state government would not stop supporting the family with just these measures.
Responding to a query, the minister said, “It has not been confirmed that Ajithkumar committed the theft as alleged. Hence, the black mark on his name, that he is an accused in the case, will be removed.”
Apart from him, AIADMK leader R B Udhayakumar, VCK chief Thol Thirumavalavan, Puthiya Tamilagam president S Krishnasamy and TVK chief actor Vijay called on the family. AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami spoke to the family over the phone and offered his condolences.
Palaniswami told the family that AIADMK would support them at all costs. He highlighted that the party had filed a petition in the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court seeking justice for Ajithkumar’s death. “AIADMK will not stop until every person responsible for the death is punished,” he said. Speaking during a joint protest organised by the AIADMK and the BJP at Thirupuvanam, BJP leader H Raja said the state government must grant Rs 50L solatium to the family.
Thirumavalavan said the state government had made it unnecessary for parties like VCK to stage protest on the issue by arresting all the accused policemen and transferring the case to the CBI. Krishnasamy said no senior police officer involved in such incidents has ever been punished except for suspension, or transfer at the initial stages.
Meanwhile, the IV Additional District Judge of Madurai, S John Sundarlal Suresh, started his inquiry as per the HC order. He questioned witnesses and policemen at the government guest house. The judge also visited the Thirupuvanam police station.
Complainant faced Rs 16L fraud case
According to police sources, J Nikita (42) of Thirumangalam in Madurai, who accused Ajithkumar of stealing 10 sovereigns of jewels from her car, and her family faces a cheating case. An FIR was registered in May 2011 against the family for allegedly cheating Rs 16 lakh by making job offers. Ajithkumar was detained by a special crime police team based on her complaint.
According to the FIR, Nikita’s family — including her parents Sivakami Ammal and Jeyaperumal, brother J P Kaviarasu and his wife Sugadevi — were booked under Sections 406 and 420 IPC at Thirumangalam Taluk Police Station in Madurai district for cheating their relative Rajagam of Thirumangalam under the pretext of securing a government job. The case is pending in court, sources added.
DGP orders unauthorised spl police teams across TN to be disbanded
Chennai: Tamil Nadu Director General of Police (DGP) Shankar Jiwal on Tuesday ordered the disbandment of unauthorised special police teams across TN. The move comes in the wake of the alleged custodial death of 27-year-old Ajithkumar during interrogation by one such special team in Sivaganga district last week.
Usually headed by an inspector or sub-inspector, special teams in districts are formations available at the disposal of senior officials like the SP/DSP or IG/DIG for solving high-profile cases and also collecting intelligence.
Jiwal’s order states that special teams can be formed only for specific cases based on the approval of zonal inspector generals (IGs) and Commissioners of Police (CsOP). The existing special teams formed under other officials will be disbanded all over Tamil Nadu, it said.