Advocates lay siege to Dindigul Collectorate objecting to arrest of lawyer under SC/ST Act

MADURAI: Scores of advocates laid a siege to the Dindigul Collectorate on Monday in protest against the Vadamadurai police alleging that a false case was booked against a fellow lawyer Varadharajan under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

The agitating lawyers raised slogans condemning the police and urged the district administration to immediately revoke the case. They claimed that the concerned lawyer was not involved in any such illegality.

The protesting advocates alleged that the Vadamadurai Sub Inspector demanded a bribe of Rs 2 lakh to close the case against the lawyer. There was chaos as agitating lawyers attempted to walk through the Collectorate entrance, defying police presence. But cops managed to close the main entrance and stop the protesters from entering the Collectorate campus.

The lawyer Varadarajan at the centre of the controversy also runs a pharmacy and had a conflict with four men. Vadamadurai police filed cases based on complaints from both sides. But protesting advocates claimed that a fake case was filed against Varadharajan.

Condemning the police, many lawyers boycotted court proceedings on Thursday and Friday last. Sources also added that the police are set to close the case as a ‘mistake of fact’.

However, Dindigul Superintendent of Police A Pradeep, when contacted, said the police are investigating to check the veracity of the lawyers’ claim. Further, the SP denied charges against the Sub Inspector.