Encounter fear: Cops told to ensure safety of arrested man

CHENNAI: The Madras high court on Friday asked police to ensure the safety of an arrested man after his father approached the court saying he may be eliminated in an “encounter.”
In his petition, N Parthasarathy, a resident of Teynampet, said his son C D Mani was taken into custody by the Vellore police on Thursday in connection with a case but he is yet to be produced before a magistrate and remanded in custody.Parthasarathy said he feared that Mani may be killed in a fake encounter. Mani, 31, a history-sheeter, is wanted by police in Chennai in several cases.
Observing that the allegations are too serious to be ignored, a division bench comprising Justice K N Basha and Justice P Devadass directed police to ensure Mani’s safety and security. “In view of the apprehension expressed by Parthasarathy, it is made clear that the state shall ensure safety and security to the life of Mani during the course of transit and production before the magistrate concerned, and during the transit from the magistrate court to the prison concerned,” the judges said. The order was delivered after a special hearing inside the chambers of the judges on Friday, which was a holiday.
During the arguments, Parathasarathy’s counsel R Sanakarasubbu submitted that on March 20 there was a news item in a Tamil daily staying that police had issued orders to shoot and arrest Mani in connection with pending cases. On March 28, he was arrested but they were yet to disclose his arrest or produce him before a magistrate for remand. Apprehending danger to Mani at the hands of police, Sanakarasubbu sought the court’s intervention in the matter.
Additional public prosecutor A N Thambidurai confirmed that Mani had indeed been arrested, and said he would be produced before a magistrate soon. He, however, denied the allegations that police had planned to stage an encounter to kill Mani.
They then adjourned the matter to April 3 for further hearing.