Acquittal of O. Raja in abetment of suicide case of temple priest shocking: Evidence

The acquittal of all the accused, including the former Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam’s brother O. Raja, who figured in the temple priest abetment of suicide case reported in 2012, was shocking and unfortunate, said Evidence Executive Director A. Kathir.

Speaking to media persons, here on Friday with the petitioners, he said that the State government should immediately prefer an appeal in High Court against the special court’s judgement.

Two days ago, a special court in Dindigul had acquitted Mr. Raja, Manimaran, Loganathan, Sivakumar, Gnanam and Saravanan. Another accused Pandi died during the trial of the case.

The issue was that a Scheduled Caste S. Naganathan of T. Kallupatti in Theni district was a priest in the Kailasanathar Temple. Suddenly, he was told by the accused to stop performing pujas and that he need not come. Unable to digest, he argued with them and lodged a complaint with Thenkarai police in 2012. Subsequently, due to ‘severe’ torture, he died by suicide on December 7, 2012.

Shocked, Subburaj, father of Naganathan, approached the court, which after hearing for over a decade, acquitted all the accused.

Under such circumstances, Mr. Kathir said that despite strong evidence available to show that the accused were responsible for Naganathan’s death, the judgement was an injustice to the downtrodden.

Appreciating the lawyer Mohan, who appeared for the victim’s family, and Mr. Subburaj for their upright conduct, Mr. Kathir said that it was unfortunate that the government had not bothered to even inquire into the case history.

“The death of Naganathan has caused permanent injuries in the minds of the family members and the SC community,” he charged.

Though the Madras High Court passed orders in 2015 to hear the above case and dispose it of within four months, the special court had taken nine long years.

The Supreme Court, in such cases, where the SC was a victim, should monitor the lower courts and judges, Mr. Kathir said and added that the State government should appeal at the earliest.

Urging the government to give a solatium of ₹10 lakh to the family members of Naganathan, he said that the government should also give ₹12,000 to the parents as monthly pension.

“The acquitted were not only powerful but also had clout in political circuit. They may find loopholes in the law and attempt to escape. Hence, the DMK government, which had been propagating itself as a champion of the downtrodden, should fight for the justice,” he said.

(Assistance for overcoming suicidal thoughts is available on the State’s health helpline 104, Tele-MANAS 14416, Sneha’s suicide prevention helpline 044-24640050) and Speak2Us mental health helpline 9375493754.)

Published - November 15, 2024 08:04 pm IST