MADURAI
A petitioner from Theni district on Monday moved the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court seeking appropriate compensation from the State for keeping his son in illegal custody for over nine months even after he was acquitted in a murder case.
Justice R. Pongiappan ordered notice to the State on the petition filed by Rathinam from Andipatti, who sought appropriate compensation from the State for the negligence of the officials. The case was adjourned till September 22.
The petitioner said that his son Chokkar remained in Madurai Central Prison even after the High Court had acquitted him in a murder case after setting aside the life sentence awarded by the trial court.
He said that Varushanadu police had arrested his son in 2011 and named him second accused in the murder case. The Additional District and Sessions Judge, Theni, in 2016 sentenced him to life imprisonment, the petitioner said.
Aggrieved by the order of the trial court, the first accused, Mayilraj, preferred an appeal against the verdict before the High Court. Though his son had not preferred an appeal, the High Court set aside the sentence awarded to both the accused and acquitted them in 2019.
Though the first accused was released from prison, the petitioner said, his son was languishing in jail for over nine months. Only after an advocate, K.R. Raja, brought this to his notice that he realised the negligence on the part of the officials and sent a representation to them.
It was only after the representation was sent to them on July 14, 2020, the prison authorities released his son, he said. The dereliction of duty on the part the authorities had resulted in his son suffering mental agony, he said and sought compensation.