The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Tuesday, July 3, 2001,
Chandigarh, India

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Karunanidhi not to seek bail
Maran, Baalu refuse to be released

Chennai, July 2
In a sudden turn of events, former Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi tonight decided not to seek bail even as the two Union Ministers Murasoli Maran and T.R. Baalu, ordered to be released, refused to accept the relief with all of them demanding cases against them be withdrawn first.

Mr Karunanidhi’s lawyer R. Shanmugasundaram said the bail application moved on Saturday immediately after his arrest would be withdrawn when it comes up for hearing tomorrow as he feels the case was “foisted”. Mr Karunanidhi wants the case to be withdrawn first.

As pressure mounted on the Tamil Nadu Government under threat of relations souring with the Centre, the state police filed a petition before a Metropolitan Magistrate that the judicial remand of the two Union Ministers was no longer necessary as investigations were over in the case against them.

The two ministers have been charged with obstructing the police from doing its duty when a team went to arrest former Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi at his residence in connection with the flyover scam on Saturday.

Following the Magistrate’s order, the posse of policemen posted at the ward where Maran was staying in Apollo Hospital was removed.

The two ministers have decided to stay put in custody till tomorrow when their judicial remand period comes to an end. Mr Baalu, lodged in Vellore Prison, had refused to give an undertaking sought by the police that he would appear before them whenever called for.

But Mr Maran insisted that the cases be withdrawn. The government has rejected the demand.

Mr Maran’s counsel Shanmughasundram told reporters at Apollo Hospital that the FIR was still pending and the ministers would continue to remain under custody till its expiry.

He said Mr Baalu, who had been lodged in Vellore Prison, had refused to give an undertaking sought by the police that he would appear before them whenever called for.

“Both ministers want the cases to be withdrawn,” he said.

Earlier, when the police came to inform Mr Maran about the court ordering his release, R.S. Bharathy, DMK’s legal wing secretary, asked them whether the FIR had been quashed.

When the police said the FIR had not been quashed, Mr Bharathi, after consultations with Mr Maran, announced that the arrested ministers would not come out of custody. PTI

Maran gives account of arrest

New Delhi, July 2
DMK leader and former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi was “brutally attacked and carried away like bundle” and Union Minister Murasoli Maran hit in the chest where he has a pace maker fitted, by about 20 police officers and personnel before being arrested on the dawn of June 30, Mr Maran has said in his written account to the NDA team.

A “blow by blow account” faxed by Mr Maran from Chennai this afternoon said Dr Karunanidhi was brutally attacked and was “carried away like a bundle” in spite of the fact that he was crying out of pain.

Releasing the account at a press conference here after the NDA meeting Mr Fernandes said “The blow by blow account given by Mr Maran in his hand-written note is very terrifying whatever has happened to him (Mr Maran).”

Demanding that the officers involved be punished Mr Fernandes said the former Chief Minister was beaten up while Mr Maran was dragged. “No such treatment is given even to animals.”

The account given by Mr Maran identifies four senior police officers —Mohammed Ali (Deputy Commissioner, Crimes, Chennai), Shanmuga Rajeshwaran (IPS), S. George (IPS) and Christopher Nelson (IPS) who were mainly responsible for the manhandling and arrest of the three leaders. UNI