MADURAI: The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Tuesday stayed all further proceedings in the FIR registered against Hindu Munnani cadre by the Thiruparankundram police for conducting a protest on December 3 over non-implementation of the court’s order directing to light Karthigai Deepam on the stone pillar atop the Thiruparankundram hill.
Justice L Victoria Gowri passed the interim order on a joint petition filed by 12 cadre seeking to quash the FIR. The petitioners claimed that they had merely gathered at the foothills on December 3 to witness the lighting of the lamp on the stone pillar.
Since it was not done, they conducted the protest in a peaceful manner, criticising the police for not obeying the court order. They did not hurt the feelings of any individuals or groups and only expressed their opinion, which is a constitutional right, they added.
When the case was heard on Tuesday, the additional advocate general said that the charge sheet had already been filed through e-filing. However, noting that it has not been taken on file by the magistrate yet, the judge ordered an interim stay and adjourned the case to February 3.