Tamil Nadu: Order CBI probe into deaths of 2 officials, AIADMK urges Madras high court

CHENNAI: The AIADMK on Saturday petitioned Madras high court acting Chief Justice Munishwar Nath Bhandari, urging him to take suo motu cognizance of the “mysterious” deaths of IFS officer S Venkatachalam and Radhapuram union engineer Santhosh Kumar. The party sought a CBI probe monitored by a retired judge into the deaths.
Party advocates’ wing joint secretary and law advisory committee member R M Babu Murugavel, who petitioned the acting Chief Justice, sent the representation to President Ram Nath Kovind, Chief Justice of India N V Ramana and CBI director Subodh Kumar Jaiswal. In his petition, the AIADMK functionary alleged that Venkatachalam, who was appointed chairman of the Pollution Control Board during the AIADMK regime, refused to cooperate with the present government, because of which the officer was threatened and coerced to resign from his office. The government, using the DVAC, initiated searches on his premises and said that 11 lakh and a few gold and silver items were recovered from there.
Murugavel also alleged that Santhosh Kumar killed himself by jumping before a running train due to pressure from DMK members and contractors. The sub-collector and superintendent of police of Tirunelveli district were also transferred while they were discharging their duties. “As the police department, which includes CB-CID and DVAC, is acting as a puppet to the present government, an independent body such as CBI should alone investigate the suicides of Venkatachalam and Santhosh Kumar,” the AIADMK functionary said, urging the court to direct the state government to restrain from tampering with evidence in the investigation.