HC quashes case against protesters

Madurai: The Madras high court on Monday quashed the trial court proceedings against 26 people, including CPM functionary U Vasuki, in a case registered against them for staging a protest condemning the inaction on part of the police officials in taking action against those who distributed money to voters in Madurai West constituency during the 2016 assembly election.

The petitioners stated that Vasuki contested the assembly election from Madurai West. On May 13, 2016, AIADMK party cadres distributed cash to voters. The CPM cadres caught hold of the miscreants and informed the police. However, the police set the miscreants at liberty and took the CPM cadres to the police station.

Vasuki along with the others staged a protest at Jaihindpuram main road. Following this incident, the Jaihindpuram police had registered a case against 250 people, including the petitioners.

The petitioners stated that the case is pending before the trial court for the past five years, the petitioners moved the HC Madurai bench, in 2021.

Justice G R Swaminathan said that since the petitioners were carrying on their election campaign, their assembly is a legitimate exercise of their democratic right and it cannot be said to be unlawful.

The judge said that blocking the roads would not amount to an offence under Section 341. No damages were caused to the public properties. The petitioners were not indulging in any act of violence, but they legitimately staged their protest against distribution of cash for votes.

Observing that the continuance of proceedings is not warranted, the judge allowed the petition and quashed the trial court proceedings.