VILLUPURAM: The Tindivanam Judicial Magistrate Court-2 on Thursday acquitted four individuals, including tribal activist and professor Praba Kalvimani, writer R Murugappan, Periyapayan, and Mohan (an irular tribal), from a false case filed by Mailam police. The case, which had been ongoing for the past three years, was related to an incident in 2019 where an allegation of custodial torture was made by Mohan, against the then Sub-Inspector S Vivekanandan.
The case dates back to 2019 when Mohan was arrested under false charges of theft by the Mailam police. Sources said when Irular tribe activists Praba Kalvimani and R Murugappan along with Periyapayan went to enquire about the false charges been levied on Mohan, an enraged Vivekanandan booked a case against all four of them.
The complaint, which was filed by the victims in 2019, highlighted wrongful arrest and torture by Mailam police personnel. The State Human Rights Commission had intervened after the accused, including SI Vivekanandan and two police constables, were found to have made illegal arrests. The Commission had ordered disciplinary action against Vivekanandan, along with a fine of Rs 50,000, to be deducted from his salary, and directed Rs 25,000 compensation each to professor Kalvimani and Murugappan. While hearing the case on Friday, Tindivanam Judicial Magistrate Court-2, with Magistrate Malathi, acquitted all four accused from the false charges.
After coming out from court, Murugappan said thanked his lawyers and said, “All praise to the legal team led by lawyer A Venkatesan, along with young lawyers Ilapugazh and Palanivel, for their diligent work in ensuring justice for the wrongfully accused."