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Time of India
6 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
TN BSP leader K Armstrong murder case: Madras HC quashes detention of 17 accused under Goondas Act
CHENNAI: Madras high court on Wednesday quashed the detention of 17 accused arrested in connection with the murder of Tamil Nadu BSP leader K Armstrong under the Goondas Act. A division bench of Justice M S Ramesh and Justice V Lakshminarayanan, however, observed that the quashing of the detention under Goondas should not influence the grant of bail to the accused. The court passed the order on a batch of pleas moved by the kin of the accused persons arrested in the case, challenging the detention under Goondas. You Can Also Check: Chennai AQI | Weather in Chennai | Bank Holidays in Chennai | Public Holidays in Chennai According to the petitioners, the Commissioner of Greater Chennai Police (GCP) issued the order of detention in a 'mechanical manner' without 'applying his mind,' and the detention order was not duly intimated to them, violating the provisions of the Act. On July 5, 2024, the Tamil Nadu state unit president of the Bahujan Samaj Party ( BSP ), K Armstrong, 47, was hacked to death by a six-member gang while he was chatting with his friends and supporters near his house in a crowded locality at Sembiam near Perambur. According to the prosecution, at around 7 pm, the gang came on three bikes and pounced on Armstrong, wielding deadly weapons. Before his men could respond and come to his rescue, the gang hacked him brutally and escaped, leaving him in a pool of blood.
Time of India
09-07-2025
- Time of India
Cops detain 1,002 suspects under Goondas Act in a year
Chennai: Over the past year, the Greater Chennai police have detained 1,002 people under the Goondas Act in a targeted crackdown on repeat offenders, launched after the murder of K Armstrong at Sembium. Police commissioner A Arun, who assumed charge shortly after the incident, said the detention strategy was to improve law and order. Of the total detainees, 610 were listed as rowdy elements, while 275 were drug offenders. Police also detained 73 property offenders and 19 individuals involved in sexual crimes. Additionally, nine people were detained for immoral trafficking, seven for offences under the Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities (COFEPOSA), and six under the National Security Act (NSA). North zone recorded the highest number of detentions at 366, followed by the west zone with 209 and the south zone with 200. The east zone reported 196 detentions. Other units such as the Central Crime Branch (CCB), Railways, and the Central Special Crime Investigation Division (CSCID) together accounted for 31 detentions. You Can Also Check: Chennai AQI | Weather in Chennai | Bank Holidays in Chennai | Public Holidays in Chennai Officers said that among the detainees were 26 suspects linked to the Armstrong murder. These individuals were in Puzhal prison for more than 10 months under the Goondas Act, pending further legal proceedings. Kolathur deputy commissioner of police R Pandiarajan said, "Detention of key offenders under the Goondas Act has significantly disrupted gang operations. When a faction leader is detained, their associates often disperse or flee." A Aravindan, a retired senior police officer, said, "Since trials can take time, preventive detention under the Goondas Act serves as a temporary but effective method to weaken criminal networks and allow police to restore public order." Madras high court advocate Karthikeyan, said, "Any detention under the Goondas Act must be reviewed by an advisory board within three months. If upheld, the detainee's family can challenge the decision by filing a habeas corpus petition before the high court." Under the law, the Goondas Act cannot be invoked against the same individual more than once a year. Still, police say the strategy has been effective in curbing street-level crime and breaking gang cohesion.
