On Oct 4, the Madras High Court declined to grant bail to 10 accused in the murder of a PMK functionary Ramalingam who opposed who Hindus being converted to Islam in his area.
Ramalingam was killed by radical Islamists after he resisted religious conversion in the area. His right hand was chopped off by the gang, and was left to die. The murder took place the day he confronted some Muslim men who were attempting to convert residents of his community to Islam. Ramalingam took off the skull cap of one of Islamic preacher and put it on his head while also applying ash on the man’s forehead.
Thiruvidaimaruduar police registered a case and investigated the matter. According to the police’s FIR, it was discovered during the investigation that he was allegedly killed for interfering with a Muslim group’s religious propagation activities in Pakku Vinayagam Thoppu hamlet in Thiruvidaimarudhur on the morning of the murder. On April 25, 2019, the NIA took over the investigation from the Tamil Nadu police.
NIA in its chargesheet said, “Investigation has revealed that accused persons planned a criminal conspiracy and attacked victim Ramalingam, causing his death, with the intention of terrorising the general public and deterring anyone from further interfering in the religious propagation activity of the PFI/SDPI, after Ramalingam had an argument with the PFI dawah team on the morning of February 5, 2019, at Pakku Vinayagam Thopu village. Ramalingam’s murder had sparked intercommunal strife and instilled fear in the hearts of some.”
The 18 persons who have been charged include those who gave the attackers’ vehicles and the man who gave them lodging, as well as those who planned, organised, and oversaw how the crime was carried out.
In this scenario, 10 of the main accused, including Mohammad Azharuddin and Mohammad Riaz, out of 18 had filed a bail petion in Poonamalle Special Court. The Special Court, however, dismissed the bail the same day. The 10 accused then moved the Madras High Court for the bail. The case was heard by a bench comprising of Justices PN Prakash and Teekaa Raman. Special Advocate R. Karthikeyan appeared on behalf of the National Investigation Agency.
The bench in its order said, “Going by the trial judge’s report and documents, it appears that the accused have consented to go ahead with the trial without insisting that the defence witnesses be cross-examined first. Therefore, it is inadmissible to demand bail on grounds that the defence witnesses were not questioned.”
“Therefore, the Poonamallee Court should take immediate steps to complete the examination and cross-examination of the defense witnesses. In this instance, there is no merit. The petitions have been rejected,” the judges have thus ruled.
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