CHENNAI: The DMK on Wednesday demanded an inquiry led by a sitting Madras HC judge into the escape of 17 prisoners from a sub-jail in Theni and sought the removal of Law and Prisons Minister CTR Nirmal Kumar, alleging administrative failures across his portfolios.
In a statement, party legal wing joint secretary and former MLA I Paranthamen described the escape as an unprecedented security breach in decades.
He said the suspension of nine prison guards and officials for alleged negligence was insufficient. Paranthamen called for a comprehensive investigation into the possibility of collusion between prison staff and the escapees. He said only an inquiry commission headed by a sitting HC judge could establish the full facts behind the incident.
Demanding Nirmal Kumar’s immediate removal from the cabinet, Paranthamen alleged failures across the minister’s portfolios. He cited power cuts, high-cost electricity procurement, alleged bribery in the appointment of government lawyers and repeated prison escapes as examples of administrative failures.
