In a move that has drawn sharp condemnation from the Madras High Court, the Tamil Nadu police under the Dravidian model government have registered a criminal case against a lawyer who was brutally assaulted by VCK leader Thol. Thirumavalavan’s supporters, while treating his attackers with surprising leniency.
The incident, which occurred on October 7 outside the Madras High Court, began when Thirumavalavan’s car collided with lawyer Rajiv Gandhi’s two-wheeler on NSC Bose Road. When Gandhi confronted the occupants about the collision, he was violently attacked by men accompanying the VCK leader, with the entire assault captured on video and later going viral.
Victim-Turned-Accused: The Lopsided FIR
In a controversial response, the Esplanade police registered two FIRs that show stark disparity in treatment. Against lawyer Rajiv Gandhi – the assault victim – police invoked three serious sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS): wrongful restraint, criminal intimidation, and intimidation with intent to breach peace.
Meanwhile, against the men who were seen on video brutally attacking Gandhi, police registered a case under only two comparatively minor sections: causing hurt and using obscene language. Notably, Thirumavalavan’s name was completely omitted from the FIR despite the victim’s complaint specifically mentioning that the VCK leader “incited” the attack.
High Court’s Stinging Rebuke
The police action prompted a stinging rebuke from the Madras High Court, with Justice Satish Kumar delivering scathing observations during a hearing on Friday.
“On what basis is the case filed against both parties?” the judge questioned, expressing astonishment that the assault victim had been made an accused. He further asked, “when only one party had joined in attacking a lawyer?”
Justice Kumar was unequivocal in his assessment, calling the police action “hostile that the police is pursuing this case against both the victim and the attacker,” and pointedly demanding, “To satisfy whom has the police taken this action?”
The judge also condemned Thirumavalavan’s role, observing that “the leader who was present there, instead of controlling the situation, seems to have acted in a manner that provoked the problem.”
Political Fallout and Controversial Justification
The incident has sparked political repercussions, with CPM state secretary P Shanmugam expressing concern over caste-based divisions among lawyers in Tamil Nadu. He emphasized that “developments undermining the unity of the legal fraternity must be avoided at all costs.”
Meanwhile, Thirumavalavan’s response to the incident has drawn widespread condemnation. The VCK leader not only denied his party men assaulted the lawyer but allegedly justified the beating by saying the motorist “glared at him.” In a remark that sparked particular outrage, Thirumavalavan reportedly added, “And even that, was the hitting done properly.”
The High Court has now directed police to seize all CCTV footage of the incident and conduct a thorough investigation, adjourning the matter for two weeks. The case has put both the police investigation and the conduct of the political leader under intense judicial scrutiny, raising serious questions about the impartiality of law enforcement in the state.
(Source: DTNext)
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