Don’t arrest son,brother of O Panneerselvam till Apr 17, Madras HC

The Madras High Court today directed the Tamil Nadu Police not to arrest the son and brother of former Chief Minister O Panneerselvam till April 17.

The son and brother of OPS are facing arrest in a rioting case related to the RK Nagar Assembly by-poll campaigning.

Justice S Baskaran gave the interim direction in this regard when the anticipatory bail petitions of O P Ravindranath Kumar, son of Panneerselvam, and his uncle O Raja, came up today.  The judge posted the matter to April 17 for further hearing. 

The two had moved the petitions apprehending arrest in connection with the rioting and criminal intimidation case registered against them. 

They alleged that police had foisted the case on them “due to malaise and political vendetta.” According to police, the case was registered on a complaint lodged against the two that they, along with some other persons, had attacked a worker of rival AIADMK (Amma) faction in R K Nagar on April 6. 

The by-poll scheduled to be held on April 12 has been cancelled by the Election Commission over the use of money power to influence voters.

(With PTI inputs)