Author: Joe A Scaria
Publication: The Economic Times
Date: July 26, 2011
Introduction: Arrest of Veerapandi Arumugam,
an Azhagiri aide, setback for DMK
Senior DMK leader and former minister Veerapandi
Arumugam on Monday surrendered before police for three-day custodial interrogation
in connection with two cases of alleged land grabbing lodged against him.
Arumugam surrendered before the Salem district crime branch police at 10 am
following a directive from the Madras High Court on July 22.
What began as a trickle of landgrabbing allegations
in Tamil Nadu is now singeing the opposition DMK, with petitions crossing
1,000 and a party's senior leader facing police interrogation in Salem. In
the district alone, over 200 petitions of land grabbing have been filed. The
party's top leadership was in a huddle, as the net closes in on alleged land
grabbers, particularly in the south of the state, where DMK chief Muthuvel
Karunanidhi's son and Union Fertiliser Minister MK Azhagiri controls the party.
"Arumugam will face a three-day interrogation.
The action follows a petition filed two years ago by a group of people. No
action was then taken on the complaint, but when the petitioners complained
again to the collector two weeks ago, the matter was taken up," Salem's
Superintendent of Police L Saravanan told ET.
Saravanan said the allegation of land grabbing
filed against Veerapandi Arumugam's son Veerapandi A Raja, was withdrawn by
the petitioner. Among those facing land appropriation charges in Salem is
police inspector Laxman, who is absconding.
In Madurai district, DMK felt the heat of
police action on land grabbing petitions last week when a number of the party's
functionaries were arrested, including former MLA G Thalapathi, and 'Pottu'
Suresh. Also in the land-grabbing knot is 'Attack' Pandi, known to be a close
associate of Azhagiri. Last week, Azhagiri was forced to do jail hopping to
meet his associates G Thalapathi, 'Pottu' Suresh, Krishna Pandi and Kodi Chandrasekharan
in the Palayamkottai prison and S Mohammed Ibrahim in Madurai Central Prison.
Arumugam's surrender before police came just a day after the DMK general council
stated here that the AIADMK government was taking vindictive action against
the party, and that DMK would set up district-wise legal cells to help its
cadre deal with such cases.
The legal wing of DMK has decided to go to court against police officers filing
'false cases' against DMK cadres. DMK has also decided to have a state-wide
agitation against the government on August 1.
