CHENNAI: The families of the 49 children killed in the 2004
Kumbakonam school fire tragedy have approached the Madras high court alleging that their counsel had withdrawn Rs 2.30 lakh each — amounting to nearly Rs 1.12 crore — from the compensation given to them by the state government.
Admitting the pleas, a division bench of justices R Mahadevan and V Parthiban warned the advocate, S Tamilarasan, of dire consequences and suggested that he repay the money to the victims before it passed an order. The court then posted the matter for hearing on April 9.
According to U
Marimuthu, one of the petitioners, after a delay of nearly 10 years by the state, the HC ordered the government to award compensation ranging from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 8 lakh to the parents of the victims along with interest. On December 21, 2016, the compensation was deposited in Marimuthu’s bank account.
Now, petitioner wants the court to intervene
But a few weeks ago, advocate S Tamilarasan, who represented them in the high court, came to Kumbakonam and summoned all the parents. He obtained two undated blank cheques and signed blank papers from each of the claimants.
Thereafter, to his shock and surprise Marimuthu received a message from the bank on December 22 saying that Rs 2.30 lakh had been deducted from his account. He rushed to the bank and found to his dismay that counsel had misused the blank cheques and diverted the money in his name and in the names of other such victims. Claiming that the act of the advocate was illegal, high-handed, fraudulent and breach of the trust of the claimants, the petitioner said each of the claimants had already paid Rs 3,500 towards his professional fees totalling to Rs 3.5 lakh. Now, the petitioner wanted the court to intervene and get back his money.
