Court seeks status report on assault of advocate by SI

Madurai: The Madurai bench of the Madras high court on Wednesday directed the deputy inspector general (Madurai) to file a status report in a case pertaining to the assault of an advocate by a sub-inspector of police.

A division bench headed by justice M Sathyanarayanan which heard the case also said that no final report would be filed in the criminal case registered by the Usilampatti police against the sub-inspector based on the advocate’s complaint and adjourned the case to April 10.

Madurai bench high court advocates association secretary, T Chandrasekaran filed the case.

During hearing, the petitioner’s counsel said that advocate P Balan practising before the high court bench was subjected to custodial torture, for which he should be given a just and reasonable compensation by the state’s home secretary, DGP and Madurai SP. Besides, the case should be transferred to the CB-CID wing from the Usilampatti police and a competent investigation officer should be appointed to ensure impartial investigation, the counsel said.

According to the counsel, on March 18 last, a group of 10 people was beating a person (OS Pandi) near the old taluk office in Usilampatti. Advocate Balan who witnessed it wanted the gang to stop it. Then, a person who was later identified as sub-inspector Raja, attached to the Madurai SP office threatened the advocate saying that he would vanish him from legal practice using his influence with three high court judges. Besides, the SI along with nine other people beat him indiscriminately. It led him sustaining injuries. Later, the advocate filed a complaint before the Usilampatti police, the counsel said.