Madras high court judge refuses to hear IPS officer A Arun’s case over delay in receiving court summons

CHENNAI: It was almost a confrontation of sorts between high court judge GR Swaminathan and A Arun IPS at the Court hall No 42 on Wednesday, as the former refused to entertain the case in which the latter had been summoned. Even as the former city police commissioner and presently the director of directorate of vigilance and anti-corruption (DVAC) had appeared before the vacation bench as summoned, judge Swaminathan said that court staff who went to serve the summon at IPS officer's office on Wednesday was made to wait for more than two hours. "The court staff had to wait from 3.05 pm to 5.15 pm before the camp clerk signed the summon and received it," said the visibly angry judge, before passing over the case for hearing later today. "The man (Arun) should wait here (in the court) till the case is heard," said the judge, moving the case file aside. Govt counsel R John Sathyan who tried to put forth an explanation was stopped by the judge, who said, "We want to see the face, who made us wait," summoning the clerk from the IPS officer's office. The case pertains to detention of a real estate builder named Santosh Sharma under Goondas Act. The court had called the detention draconian when the interim bail plea moved by his wife Kalpana Sharma came up for hearing and had summoned IPS officer A Arun, since he was the city police commissioner when the detention happened.