Amid apology from police in SICA case, MHC directs to file affidavit
Advocate Conscious Elango appeared for the contemptor and submitted that nothing had been done by the police to investigate the matter.
Madras High Court (File)
CHENNAI: Even though the police tendered an apology for improperly investigating the complaint lodged by the South Indian Cinematographers Association (SICA) on an allegation of misappropriation of funds, 5 years ago, the Madras High Court (MHC) directed the police to file an affidavit explaining the lapses occurred during the investigation.
Justice AD Jagadish Chandira heard the contempt petition filed by M Ilavarasu, actor and General Secretary of SICA against the Inspector of Soundarapandiyanar Angadi Police Station at T Nagar in Chennai.
Police officers Shivakumar, Ramamoorthy, and Selvarani, who handled the SICA's case before they were transferred to some other police station, appeared before the court in compliance with the court's order.
Additional public prosecutor (APP) Santhosh appeared for the police submitted an apology tendered by the police officers, and accepted that there were some lapses in the police investigation.
Advocate Conscious Elango appeared for the contemptor and submitted that nothing had been done by the police to investigate the matter.
After the submission, the judge directed the police to file an affidavit and posted the matter to February 13 for further hearing.
The judge also directed the police to file a status report with a roadmap to complete the investigation.
In 2016, the petitioner Ilavarasu, being the General Secretary of the SICA, lodged a complaint against previous office bearers of the Association on the allegation of misappropriation of the association's fund to the tune of Rs 40 lakh.
Subsequently, he filed a petition in the Madras High Court seeking to direct the police to complete the investigation.
In March 2023, the Madras High Court directed the T Nagar police to file the investigation report within four months.
However, Ilavarasu filed a contempt petition in MHC against the police stating that the final report was not filed within the stipulated time.
The police submitted that the investigation was completed and the final report was also filed on December 13, 2023.
Countering this, the counsel for Ilavarasu submitted that the investigation was not done properly, and without conducting any inquiry, to wriggle out the contempt action, the police filed the final report.