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Monday, 15 June 2015

Mafia: Politicos Rally Behind TN Villagers

Published: 16th June 2015

VELLORE: The village of Kalathur continues to draw state-wide and even national attention, with the villagers’ ongoing three-month-long battle against the demands of the sand mafia to allow sand mining in the area with leaders of political parties including DMDK’s chief Vijayakant and VCK leader Thol Thirumavalavan visiting the village on Monday to show their solidarity with the villagers.

Kalathur village, with close to 270 families, welcomed the support of the leaders and declared they will not be divided on political lines and will not allow the environmental issue to be politicised.

Actor-turned-politician, Vijayakant, told the villagers not to look on him as a politician but accept his support on the issue. He stressed the importance of not allowing natural resources to be plundered. He visited the Palar riverbed site for the proposed sand quarry that remains stalled following objections from the villagers.

The villagers gathered in front of a temple at the village and have been camping there in tents. They are also cooking and consuming food as a group. This, according to villagers, is to symbolise their unity on the issue.

The DMDK leader, Vijayakant met the villagers at the camp and interacted with them for nearly half an hour. Two hours after he left, it was Thirumavalavan’s turn to express his solidarity to the villagers. He, however, addressed the issue on caste lines by saying that Dalits are facing such problems in the State and law-enforcement agencies are acting against the community.

He declared that the party will stage a protest at Ranipet on June 19 to highlight the issue.

He also assured that he would make every effort to bring the villagers lodged in the prison in connection with the protests on bail and help them fight the cases legally. Thirumavalavan also urged them to stay united on the cause.

Rahul, a villager, said “We welcome the (politicians’) support but we will remain united and not be divided on political or communal lines,” he said.

It may be recalled that the villagers made demand drafts for the amount of Rs 2.12 lakh, which was distributed by the sand mafias in an attempt to bribe around 30 families, and sent it to the CM’s Public Relief Fund on March 19.

“The police have filed a total of 18 cases against 32 vilalgers, including 15 college and school students, since February this year to scare us. But we will not bow to these kind of threats,” said a group of villagers in unison.

Friday, 12 June 2015

Cops twist facts to lodge 17 yrs-old in Borstal school

J Shanmugha Sundaram

VELLORE: Little did 17-year-old Chinnarasu of Kalathur expect that being an onlooker to a group clash would land him behind bars. The minor, who was picked up by police along with 19 others on June 3, has been lodged in a borstal school in contravention of rules. What’s more, his parents and activists allege that police have fabricated facts to show that the boy is 21 years old.

Chinnarasu, son of farm labourers Mani and Sundari, was picked up near the Kaveripakkam police station in Ocheri on June 3 for inquiry along with few others. It all started with a group clash among the villagers over the sand quarry following which the two parties lodged complaints against each other. But the police allegedly supported the sand mafia and arrested 24 persons, including the 19 who were protesting against the quarry.

Portion of Chinnarasu’s Class X marksheet mentioning his date of birth | express

Chinnarasu, who was an onlooker according to villagers, was also arrested. However, police allegedly prepared documents stating that he was 21 years old and lodged him in the borstal school, Vellore. However, documents available with Express clearly indicate that Chinnarasu is a minor. According to the Secondary School Leaving Certificate and mark sheet, Chinnarasu was born on May 14, 1998 and is 17 years and 28-days-old as on Friday (June 12).

The police named Chinnarasu as accused in the case and invoked sections 147, 148, 294 (b), 323, 324 and 506 (ii) of IPC read with section 3 of TN PPDL Act and section 4 of TN Women Harassment Act against the accused in the case. When Chinnarasu was produced in the Judicial Magistrate Court, the judge I R Gayathri Devi refused to grant judicial custody and directed to produce his age proof.

“The police kept Chinnarasu under illegal custody on the night of June 3 and took him to a doctor of the Government Hospital in Walajapet and obtained an age certificate stating that he was 21 years old,” said Jessy of Makkal Mandram, who is supporting the movement against the sand quarry.

According to Juvenile Justice Act 2000, juvenile delinquents should be sent to juvenile homes. But in this case, police have falsified his age to lodge him in the borstal school. “They did this purposely to scare away young men standing against sand mafia,” Jessy added. Young offenders aged between 18 to 21 (Boys) convicted by courts under Section 8(1) of Tamil Nadu Borstal Act 1925 are confined in this prison. “My son is traumatised,” said Sundari, who met him in the borstal school on Thursday. “The police beat him up badly and forced him to lie to the doctor and the judge that he is 21 years old. They also also told him to lie that he failed in class VII twice and was not regular to school,” she added. Chinnarasu’s father has fled the village fearing police.

Read Scared Menfolk Flee Village After Scuffle with Cops

Cops Ensure DSP Escapes Media Glare

VELLORE: It was a privilege that no accused in police custody will ever get to enjoy.

On Thursday, the men in khaki went the extra mile to shield the 52-year-old fugitive police officer Thangavel, who was arrested in the red sanders smuggling case, from media glare.

The arrested policeman was reportedly brought in an autorickshaw to the quarters of the Ambur judicial magistrate, helped to scale a wall behind the building and taken on a two-wheeler back to the police team that waited on the outskirts of the town.

Thangavel (centre and inset) being escorted to Vellore Prison

Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) of Prohibition Enforcement Wing, Thangavel, who is an accused in the case, surrendered on Wednesday and was produced before the additional district munsif-cum-judicial magistrate at his quarters in Ambur during the early hours of Thursday.

After a three-hour long inquiry at the Paradharami police station in Gudiyattam, Thangavel was taken to Ambur in a convoy. Before entering the town, the convoy stopped near the OAR theatre and the DSP was shifted to an autorickshaw. Only two police men escorted him in the vehicle, while the rest of the team, including Ambur DSP P Ganesan, stayed back, sources said.

The auto reached the Ambur court and made its way to the quarters of the magistrate at around 1.30 am. After the magistrate issued orders remanding Thangavelu to judicial custody, the cop refused to leave the building through the front entrance in order to avoid media persons who had gathered there. He then reportedly scaled the 5-6 foot wall that separates the quarters and the adjacent traffic police station, with the escorts following suit, the source added.

From there, Thangavel was taken back to the police convoy on a two-wheeler, evading media eyes. By then, the team moved to the Ambur sugar mill area and took custody of him. They then left for the Vellore Central Prison for Men and Thangavelu was remanded at about 4 a.m.

Custody of couple sought

Vellore: Police have sought the custody of two other accused - Nagendran and his wife Jothi Lakshmi - for interrogation in connection with the red sander case. The police sought four days’ custody and are awaiting the court’s order.

Thursday, 11 June 2015

Fugitive Top Cop With Red Sander Mafia Link Surrenders in Vellore

VELLORE: A fugitive police officer with alleged links to the red sander mafia surrendered before police here on Wednesday. Thangavel, Deputy Superintendent of Police of Prohibition Enforcement Wing, Vellore, who was allegedly involved in red sander smuggling and was absconding, surrendered before the Vellore district police.

He has been on the run since May 29 after his nexus with the red sander mafia came to light.

The DSP surrendered before the special team led by DSP of Katpadi Mathivannan near Christianpet.

However, the district police said they nabbed him near Sun Beam Matriculation School along the Vellore-Chittoor Road in Katpadi Police Station limit.

“We received reliable information that the DSP was travelling in a hired cab from Chittoor to Vellore. Acting on the tip-off, the special team under Katpadi DSP secured him. We are interrogating him (Thangavel) at the Paratharami police station,” Superintendent of Police of Vellore P K Senthil Kumari told Express.

On learning about his inevitable arrest, he was sneaking out of the district.

The police, following direction from top officers, constituted special teams and despatched them to Kanchee-puram, Chennai, Madurai, Theni, Mudukulathur (Ramnad) and Rameswaram districts and Bengaluru as well. But it was in vain as he remained at large, with no clue about his whereabouts.

“He gave us sleepless nights. We were on the move looking for him for the past 12 days and travelled several hundred kilometres,” said a police officer.

The inquiry into the murder of sander smuggler, Chinnapayan of Palur, unearthed the police-red sander mafia link.

“The arrest of a couple — Nagendran and Jothi Lakhsmi, natives of Alagiri Nagar in Sathuvachari — revealed that the Thangavel was in constant touch with them. He had also been receiving hefty cash regularly as bribe from them,” said a police officer privy to the investigation. Thangavel allegedly helped the couple forcibly take away tonnes of red sander logs from Chinnapayan on May 24.

Tuesday, 9 June 2015

EXPRESS IMPACT: Prison board to meet soon.

Prison Board to Meet Soon

Posted on Jun 10, 2015 in Tamil Nadu

J Shanmugha Sundaram

VELLORE: Following a report published in the Express (‘Jailbirds Trapped as Panel Sleeps’, May 15), the prison administration of the Vellore Central Prison for Men has sought a report on around 20 convicts sentenced for life and who have completed a minimum of 14 years in prison from the Probation Officers (PO) to consider their eligibility for premature release. The Board, will in all likelihood, meet at the end of this month.

The premature release of eligible convicts, however, will depend on the outcome of the case pending before the five member Constitutional bench of the Supreme Court that had issued an order in July 2014 barring all State governments from exercising their remission power to release life convicts in light of the Tamil Nadu Government’s attempt to release the seven convicts connected with the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi. The Supreme Court case awaits a hearing on June 15.

A senior prison official said that the Superintendent of the Prison C Karuppanan dispatched letters a week ago to Probation Officers seeking reports on convicts who could be considered eligible for premature release in an attempt to revive the moribund Prison Advisory Board.

Prison administration will recieve reports from POs, reports from the Collectors of the respective districts that the inmates hail from and a report from the local Station Head Officer (Inspector of Police).

The reports, will be presented before Prison Advisory Board, comprising Sessions Judge, Chief Judicial Magistrate, Superintendent of the Prison, Regional Probation Officer and a non-official member appointed by the government with the District Collector (Vellore) chairing the Board.

The official said that the Board will send its recommendations to the IG of Prisons, who in turn, will forward it to the Home Department. The Governor of the State will be the final authority deciding whether to release convicts, deemed eligible, prematurely.

The Express story highlighted the fact that despite the mandatory requirement under Section 341 (2) of TN Prison Rules, 1983, of the Board to convene a meet once in six months, however, the Board had not met for four years

Partners in Crime: Redwood Biz Helps Duo Mint Money

Two women of Tiruchy, the Fort City have been minting crores by being part of the organised network of red sanders smuggling. While one played a perfect role of a custodian of wealth amassed by her nephew through the illegal business, the other was a perfect partner for her husband’s red sanders smuggling activities.

Forty-year-old Jothi Lakhmi was in the news recently following her arrest along with her husband Nagen dran of Alagiri Nagar in Sathuvachari in Vellore in connection with a red sanders smuggling case. Inquiry into the murder of a red sanders smuggler showed that the couple had been actively involved in red sanders smuggling for the past six months.

Nagendran had been smuggling red sanders logs from Andhra Pradesh and selling them in the black market with the help of Chinnapayan of Palur. Jothi Lakshmi was assisting her husband in the organised crime. “She has been maintaining the stock lists of logs and their transactions. It was learnt in the inquiry following their arrest,” said a police official.

The couple hatched a plan and looted their friend-turned-foe Chinnapayan a day before the latter was found murdered on May 25. The arrest of the couple also unearthed a nexus with Deputy Superintendent of Police of Prohibtion Enforcement Wing Thangavel, who is still on the run. Her role went a step further as police claimed that she had persuaded Thangavel to aid their criminal activities.

“The woman (Jothi Lakhmi) convinced the police officer to help them take the logs worth several crores from Chinnapayan,” said the police.

Jothi Lakshmi along with her husband and the DSP have been booked under Sections 120 (b), 420 and 384 of IPC read with rule 5, 35 (b), 36 (a) and (b) of Indian Forest Act 1882. She finds her name as one of the prime accused in the case. The police have also seized 3.5 tonnes of red sanders worth around `4 crore, `32 lakh in cash and three four-wheelers from the couple.

Last year, the arrest of a folk artist Mohana of Vasanthapuram in connection with red sanders smuggling came as a shocker for many as it showed the involvement of a woman in the male-dominated illegal activity. The police, acting on a tip, raided the rented house of the 54 year-old folk artist in Tharapadavedu on May 25, 2014. They stumbled upon a stack of currency notes in cartons, gunny bags and carry bags in a 70 sq ft rented portion.

The police found `4.03 crore in cash — including 313 bundles of `1,000 denomination currency notes, 183 bundles of `500 denomination of currency notes – in the house. The police had also seized 73 sovereigns of gold jewellery from the house.

The inquiry into the seizure of the huge haul of currency led to the arrest of several red sanders smugglers and their international links.

“Though Mohana was not actively involved in red sanders smuggling, she had been helping her sister’s son Saravanan (31). She was the custodian for Sarvanan’s amassed wealth,” said a police officer, who had then questioned the folk artist.

It was the raid at Mohana’s house and subsequent inquiries that led to the arrest of 14 persons who were actively involved in smuggling of the precious logs.

http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil_nadu/Notorious-Women-Criminals-of-Tamil-Nadu/2015/06/08/article2855066.ece

Voorhees College graft to be Probed by DVAC

VELLORE: The Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM), Vellore, has directed the Vellore unit of the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) to probe alleged corrupt practices in the appointment of over 20 assistant professors to several departments in the 117-year-old Voorhees College, a government-aided institution that receives full teaching and non-teaching grants from the University Grants Commission.

The CJM directive follows a case filed before the CJM-Cum-Special Court under the provisions of Section 156(3) of CrPC, pleading the court to direct the ADSP and Inspector of DVAC to register a case and investigate nine specific persons including the Chairman of the Voorhees Governing Board for corruption.

It is alleged that the Bishop of CSI Church, Vellore Diocese, A Rajavelu, (Secretary of Voorhees College and also the Chairman of Voorhees College Governing Board), M Jayakumar(Registrar of Thiruvalluvar University), and A Jayaraj(Regional Director of Collegiate Education, Vellore), and six others collected bribes between `5 lakh and `15 lakh from candidates applying for the posts of assistant professors.

The Voorhees College, in Vellore | s dinesh

The complainant, N Surendra Kumar, an advocate and an alumnus of Voorhees College alleged that the administration indulged in deals ‘under-the-table’ while recently recruiting around 20 assistant professors for the departments of Chemistry, Zoology, Tamil, English, Mathematics, Economics and Physical Education in the institution.

“Persons handling recruitment have been amassing wealth through illegal means. It has been a regular practice here. This time they made nearly `80 lakh,” said a professor.

The Church of South India, Diocese of Vellore, manages the administration of Voorhees College and has been responsible for appointing teaching and non-teaching faculties in the institution.

The complainant, in his affidavit, stated that candidates considered for appointment were asked to credit a part of the bribe amount to account number 012598 in the Punjab National Bank.

“The candidates were asked to pay the amount in the name of a close relative (of the candidate) into the account number for ‘building development purposes’,” said Surendra Kumar.

He approached the court after the Secretary of the Governing Board and the eight others failed to respond to his letters seeking an explanation for their activities.

On hearing the case, Judge Sivakadatchham passed an order for a probe on May 19. The Judge has forwarded the petition along with relevant documents submitted by the plaintiff to the DVAC and directed them to conduct preliminary enquiries.

Sources in the DVAC confirmed that they have received the directive from the court and they will soon be commencing the inquiry.