HC refuses to hear writ on AIADMK MLAs being ‘held’

The submission made by the Additional Public Prosecutor before the division bench comprising Justice M Jaichandren and Justice T Mathivanan was in response to a mention made by social activist ‘Traffic’ Ramaswamy and Advocate K Balu about the AIADMK MLAs being held captive.

Ramaswamy claimed that as many as 130 AIADMK MLAs, were under detention and sought a direction to set them at liberty. Balu said AIADMK MLA RT Ramachandran of Kunnam constituency in Ariyalur had gone missing after attending the AIADMK party meeting a couple of days ago, and that he was not accessible by phone either.  

However, the bench ruled out the scope for an urgent hearing after accounting for the categorical submission made by the APP that the MLAs were staying at the MLAs hostel. 

The bench also pointed out that the habeas corpus petitions must be moved by their close relatives and not in the pretext of a voter who is concerned about a ‘missing MLA’. But the bench noted that they would hear the matter if it was brought before them in normal course after suggesting that if the petitioners still believed that the MLAs were being held captive, they could move a public interest litigation (PIL) instead. 

Meanwhile, another plea was moved by a relative of Krishnarayapuram MLA M Geetha seeking to set her free. The petitioner V Preetha had submitted that Geetha was her second cousin and since her father is bed-ridden, her mother busy taking care of him and her husband unreachable, she has moved the plea. She also submitted that “It is also understood that they are not allowed to use cell phone or move around  freely.” 

Meanwhile, Geetha’s husband said his wife was safe.