I told the truth according to my conscience, says woman cop

I told the truth according to my conscience, says woman cop

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Tuticorin:02.07.2020

The role played by Sathankulam head constable Revathy in exposing the torture unleashed by her fellow police personnel on P Jeyaraj and his son J Beniks has now turned crucial to the progress of the case. Her testimony before the judicial magistrate turned out to be the first person account of the torture the victims suffered for two days before their death.

“I spoke according to my conscience. I am ready to say it anywhere,” she told reporters. Hailed as a hero by the public when her male colleagues were party to the crime or had decided to stay silent, the cop, who had put in 15 years of service in the police department, has now sought protection for her and her family. She said she was aware that she would be questioned in connection with the issue when the victims died.

“I hope those involved get their due,” she said adding that she has sought protection for herself, her husband and two daughters from the Madras high court and Tuticorin district collector Sandeep Nanduri. “They have assured protection,” she said.

Recalling the incident, her husband Santhosh told reporters that on June 19 his wife started from home at 7pm. On reaching the station at 8.30pm, she told him, “I am yet to enter the station but they are beating someone.” Around 10pm, he called her again when she said the cops were beating a man and his son. “She said they look pitiable. The father (Jeyaraj) asked for water and she gave,” he said.

He recalled that around midnight he spoke to her again when she said they were beaten again and were bleeding. After the duo died, she was worried as she was on station duty that night and was sure to be questioned. The family stood by her side and asked her to tell the truth. “We are ready to speak the truth anywhere. The worst case is they could dismiss her from service. I asked her not to worry and to boldly tell the truth. But we need protection,” he said.

Responding to the concerns raised by the cop and her family, district collector Sandeep Nanduri told TOI that the SP has provided protection to the head constable and her husband. “One constable each has been provided for her and her husband for protection. She has also been granted one month leave (she had requested) with full pay,” he added.

I spoke according to my conscience. I am ready to say it anywhere. I hope those involved get their due. I have sought protection for myself, my husband and my two daughters from the Madras high court and Tuticorin collector

Revathy | WHISTLEBLOWER HEAD CONSTABLE

Bar council of TN demands reopening of regular courts

Bar council of TN demands reopening of regular courts

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:02.07.2020

The Bar council of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry has requested the Madras high court to reopen regular court hearings across the state at least from July 6.

The statutory body also suggested functioning of courts in two shifts – physical hearing during morning sessions and video conferencing proceedings in afternoons — to prevent crowding. A major chunk of lawyers has lost their livelihood due to restrictive virtual court hearings, which have become the norm for the past three months, the council said.

The council has made the request responding to the call made by the high court seeking suggestions from the stakeholders regarding the mode of functioning of the courts. “We have already narrated the difficulties faced by the advocates while hearing the cases through video conference through a letter dated June 2. We have also requested the high court to resume the physical court hearings,” a six-page communication issued by the council said.

Cannot extend bill payment time any further: Tangedco

Cannot extend bill payment time any further: Tangedco

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:02.07.2020

Tangedco on Wednesday informed the Madras high court that it cannot grant any further extension of time for domestic consumers to pay electricity charges, as the corporation is already incurring huge costs towards maintenance and salary expenses. For low tension consumers in Chennai, Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur districts, time for payment of bills was first granted upto July 6, and it was later extended to July 15 due to the extension of complete lockdown from June 19 to June 30, it said.

Additional advocate-general PH Arvind Pandian made these submissions in response to a PIL moved by C Rajashekaran seeking deferment of consumption charges till July 31.

“Already 75% of the consumers have paid the charges and for the districts, where the intensive lockdown is announced. Now the lockdown is also lifted except in four districts and wherever the lockdown is extended the board itself is extending the time for payment of consumption charges. But the same relief cannot be provided to other areas,” Pandian said.

Time for payment of such charges has been extended from time to time based on extension of lockdown by the central and the state government. In respect of Chennai, Chengalpattu, Kanchipuram & Thiruvallur districts extension of time has been granted till July 7. Now, it has been further extended till July 15 considering the intensive lockdown announced till June 30, he added.

Pointing out that a majority of the domestic and lowtension consumers have already paid the bills, Tangedco said, for consumption in March payable in April out of 1.35 crore low tension consumers only 8.45 lakh (6.25%) are yet to make payment. Similarly, for consumption in April payable in May only 12.94 lakh (9.5%0 are yet to make payment and for consumption in May payable in June only 18.44 lakh (13.62%) are yet to make payment, Tangedco added.

For low tension consumers in Chennai, Chengalpet, Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur districts, time for payment of bills was first granted upto July 6, and it was later extended to July 15 due to the extension of complete lockdown from June 19 to 30

Closure order for biryani outlet upheld

Closure order for biryani outlet upheld

Ram.Sundaram@timesgroup.com

Chennai:02.07.2020

The National Green Tribunal refused to set aside the closure notice issued to Salem RR Biryani’s Tambaram branch During a routine inspection, officials from Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) found that the unit was operating from a residential area without TNPCB consent.

At the hotel kitchen, workers were making briyani using firewood as fuel and had installed a firewood boiler with steam cooking facility. Some LPG cylinders were kept in an open yard and waste water was discharged into the public drain without any treatment. Therefore a show-cause notice was issued to the hotel last December seeking a formal explanation. Since the reply was unsatisfactory, another round of inspection was conducted and officials found that the unit continued to violate rules. So in February a closure order was issued against the unit Electricity connection was also disconnected.

Following this, the hotel sought three months’ time from the government to shift their kitchen to Guindy Industrial Estate and restore electricity connection till then.

‘TN Class XII results will be delayed by a week’

‘TN Class XII results will be delayed by a week’

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

02.07.2020

Tamil Nadu school education minister K A Sengottaiyan on Tuesday said there would be a one week delay in releasing Class XII results. “We will release the results with the CM’s consent in the second week of July,” he told TOI.

He was present as a chief guest to inaugurate roads and various drinking water projects worth 3.38 crore in Nambiyur near Gobichettipalayam on Wednesday.

The minister had earlier announced that the Class XII results would be released in the first week of July.

Nearly 35,000 Class XII students still have to write their pending exams. “Out of 35,000 students, 718 have expressed their willingness for the same,” he said.

“Conducting exams and bringing these 718 students to the exam halls will be a challenging task for us due to the extension of the lockdown,” he said.

The minister said schools would be reopened only after the Covid-19 outbreak is over in the state.

UK to process visas from July 6

UK to process visas from July 6

Ireland, Too, Will Start Processing Visas Of City Applicants On Same Date

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai: 2.7.2020

With international flights set to start, the UK and Ireland will start processing visas from applicants in Chennai from July 6. While people can apply for all category visas to the UK, only student visas and long stay visas will be issued to Ireland.

City residents are also allowed to apply for visas for Belarus, Denmark, Norway, Portugal and the Dominican Republic by submitting applications and documents in Delhi.

As lockdown restrictions continue and international air travel opens up gradually, countries have started to allow visa processing in India.

Pranav Sinha, regional head (west & south India, Maldives, Sri Lanka) for VFS Global said in an online interaction on Tuesday that there would not be much of a change in visa application process because of the pandemic though applicants may have to take precautions and maintain social distancing inside VFS centres.

Though VFS will be using the same strength of staff at its centres, the number of appointments given per day may depend on the numbers allotted by the country to which visa is applied.

“The number of appointments may go up gradually. If people do not want to come to the centres to give biometrics, we have a system to send staff to the doorstep of applicants,” he added.

However, there is no clarity yet on whether foreign governments will ask applicants to submit health documents especially for those who had recovered from Covid-19.

He also said: “Governments may introduce health screening measures going forward, so applicants should make sure to go through updated document checklist for the country in case any medical and vaccination histories are required as part of visa application.”

Basheer Ahmed of Travel Agents Federation of India (TAFI) said: “This will help people to renew visa and also apply for visa for travel at a later date. People can also apply for visa for travel in August or September by showing a booking certificate for a later date so that they will be able to travel soon after resumption of flights.”

VISA APPLICATIONS OPEN FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTRIES

UK, Ireland: July 6 (Chennai)

Belarus (all categories): July 1 (Delhi)

Denmark (Residence permit, employment, dependent): June 29 (Delhi)

Norway (residence permit): June 29 (Delhi)

Portugal (E6 for holders of expired Portugues residence

card, D6 for holders of expired family reunion, D6 visa): June 29 (Delhi)

Dominican Republic (work/resident/busines visa) : June 29 (Delhi)

Sathankulam deaths: Murder case on four policemen, SI arrested

Sathankulam deaths: Murder case on four policemen, SI arrested

Ananth.MK@timesgroup.com

Tuticorin: 2.7.2020

The CB-CID wing of the Tamil Nadu police which has taken over the investigation of the alleged custodial torture and death of a father-son duo, P Jeyaraj and J Beniks, booked two suspended SIs and two constables of Sathankulam police station under Section 302 of the IPC for murders and arrested one of the SIs, Raghu Ganesh, on Wednesday. He was remanded in judicial custody late in the evening.

CB-CID IG K Shankar, who is supervising the investigation, told TOI that 12 special teams had been formed under the leadership of CB-CID SP C Vijayakumar to investigate the case and carryout searches and arrest the remaining three accused — SI Balakrishnan and constables Murugan and Muthuraj. “As of now, we have registered murder cases against four people. Whether more people are involved or not would be known only with the progress of the investigation,” Shankar said. Kovilpatti police had initially registered the cases as suspicious deaths.

Though the state government had transferred the case to CBI, it was subsequently handed over to CB-CID on Tuesday as an interim measure following the intervention of the Madurai bench of the Madras high court to avoid delay in proceeding with the investigation and prevent tampering of evidence by Sathankulam local police. The conduct of the policemen was intimidating and non-cooperative when Kovilpatti judicial magistrate M S Bharathidasan carried out an inquest on Sunday.

CB-CID team visits Beniks’ mobile shop

Relatives and friends of victims reacted to the arrest saying their fight for justice was yielding results.

“God has given us justice. We see judicial magistrate M S Bharathidhasan, the Madurai bench of the Madras high court which took suo motu cognisance of the case and everyone who supported us as messengers of God. All of them came forward to help us,” said P Pon Sekar, of one of the sons-in-law of Jeyaraj.

The CB-CID team visited Beniks’ mobile shop and made inquiries about the manner in which the two were arrested by Sathankulam police on June 19. The team then split into two. While one team visited the house of the deceased, the other team conducted inquiry at Sathankulam police station. Another team led by DSP Saravanakumar visited Kovilpatti sub jail, where the duo was lodged before their death. In the evening, Beniks’ friends appeared before the CB CID team and handed over pictures and video footages of the arrest. They also gave their statements as eye witnesses.

Meanwhile, the relatives of the victims handed over vital evidences pertaining to the torture of Jeyaraj and Beniks to judicial magistrate M S Bharathidhasan on Tuesday evening. The evidences include blood stained shirt of Beniks, blood-stained car seat cover and bedsheet spread on the seat of the car in which Jeyaraj and Beniks were taken to Kovilpatti sub jail from Sathankulam on June 20 afternoon.

The magistrate and forensic experts observed the car and took the evidences with them. The magistrate then visited Sathankulam hospital and checked the CCTV footage and conducted inquiry with the staff there.

On Wednesday government doctor Vennila who had treated the father and son at Sathankulam hospital on June 20 for close to three hours, before they were produced in front of Sathankulam magistrate for remand, appeared before the magistrate conducting inquest at Tiruchendur. She explained the condition in which the victims were brought to the hospital and the treatment provided to them.

On Wednesday, government doctor Vennila who had treated the father and son at Sathankulam hospital on June 20 appeared before the magistrate conducting inquest at Tiruchendur