The Madras High Court today
directed the CB-CID to register a case against advocate Tamilarasan, who had allegedly transferred some part of the compensation awarded by the state to victims of the 2004 Kumbakonam fire accident, to his account.
A division bench of Justices R Mahadevan and V Pathiban gave the direction while passing interim orders on contempt pleas seeking a direction to punish the advocate for the fraud committed by him against his clients, who are the victims' relatives.
The bench in its order directed the CB-CID to register the case, conduct inquiry and proceed further in accordance with law against the lawyer and all others, who illegally transferred the money from the victims' accounts.
The CB-CID shall take immediate action forthwith to attach the bank accounts and properties of the advocate, his wife and other relatives, in whose accounts the money had been transferred and the attachment shall be in force till the entire money is recovered, the bench said.
On March 16, the court had allowed all the 49 petitions filed by the families seeking a direction to Tamilarasan to refund the amount.
Tamilarasan had committed fraud, breach of trust and illegality, the bench said after going through the documents produced by the claimants.
"We had given sufficient opportunities to him to return the amount to the victims. However, it is rather miserable that till date, he has not chosen to make use of the indulgence shown by this court," the bench said.
"On the other hand, the senior counsel representing the advocate submitted that the alleged transferred amounts were only for professional fees, whereas it was proved on the contrary," the bench said.
The bench also directed the Bar Council of Tamil Nadu to take appropriate action against Tamilarasan and suspend him from practising as an advocate till such time.
The matter will be taken up on June 5 for enabling the CB-CID to file a report and the Bar Council of Tamil Nadu besides passing further orders, it said.
Ninety-four children and a teacher were charred to death and 16 others seriously injured when a devastating fire swept through the Sri Krishna School and Saraswathi Nursery School complex in Kumbakonam on July 16, 2004.
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