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Tamil Nadu gets Madras HC pat for SOPs on EOW action
Tamil Nadu gets Madras HC pat for SOPs on EOW action

New Indian Express

time6 hours ago

  • Business
  • New Indian Express

Tamil Nadu gets Madras HC pat for SOPs on EOW action

MADURAI: The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court commended the state for issuing SOPs aimed at strengthening the Economic Offences Wing by streamlining its functions and by promoting transparent and time-bound action in financial fraud cases. Pointing to the G.O. passed to include 'economic offenders' under Tamil Nadu Act 14 of 1982 (Goondas Act), Justice B Pugalendhi called it a major policy shift that empowers the authorities to invoke preventive detention against habitual offenders operating fraudulent financial firms. Recalling that the court had earlier expressed concern over lack of preventive vigilance by the EOW, the judge acknowledged the state's submission regarding the steps being taken. However, noting that no outer time limit has been fixed for issuance of ad-interim attachment orders under Section 3 of the TNPID Act, the judge fixed 12 days from the receipt of proposal by the ADGP, EOW, as the maximum permissible period for issuing such directions. The observations were made on a contempt plea against the home secretary for non-implementation of the court's order in his petition seeking release of deposit from a frozen bank account of a firm involved in fraud.

Madurai Bench of Madras HC raps collector, police for inaction over caste discrimination in temple
Madurai Bench of Madras HC raps collector, police for inaction over caste discrimination in temple

New Indian Express

timea day ago

  • Politics
  • New Indian Express

Madurai Bench of Madras HC raps collector, police for inaction over caste discrimination in temple

MADURAI: Shocked that even after 75 years of Independence, people are still being denied entry into temples over their caste, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court, while hearing two petitions related to such an incident at a Mariyamman temple in Chinna Dharapuram, Karur, directed the HR&CE department, Karur collector and SP to file separate reports on the current situation, reason for the temple's closure, and steps taken to ensure joint worship. Justice B Pugalendhi criticised authorities for keeping the temple closed since 2018 due to communal tension. 'The closure of a public temple, not for days or weeks but for years, under the guise of law and order, is a dereliction of constitutional duty,' he said. 'Stopping everyone from entering is not the way to maintain peace. The law cannot treat the oppressor and the oppressed as equals. The government must remember that peace built by denying rights is not real peace, it is surrender,' he added, slamming the collector and police for inaction. The judge stressed that it is the duty of the HR&CE department and the state to ensure that no caste-based exclusion takes place in any temple. Citing the Kandadevi temple festival in Sivaganga, successfully conducted last year after a 17-year halt due to communal tension, he said it was possible only because the government took proactive steps, deployed adequate police force, engaged with communities, and ensured the participation of Scheduled Caste devotees.

Plea to restore Dhyana Mandapam, keep it open for devotees
Plea to restore Dhyana Mandapam, keep it open for devotees

The Hindu

time2 days ago

  • General
  • The Hindu

Plea to restore Dhyana Mandapam, keep it open for devotees

The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Friday sought response from authorities to a public interest litigation petition seeking a direction to the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department to restore Dhyana Mandapam in Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple in Madurai and keep it open for devotees. A Division Bench of Justices S.M. Subramaniam and A.D. Maria Clete was hearing the petition filed by V. Karuppu of Madurai. The petitioner said Dhyana Mandapam was designed to facilitate meditation. The Dhyana Mandapam served as a designated space for quiet contemplation, promoting inner peace and fostering a connection with the divine or the universal consciousness. However, the authorities have prevented the devotees and the public from meditating in this hall and started to use it as a store house to keep the wooden logs, iron bars and other temple goods. Now, the meditation hall is in a bad condition and is not being maintained properly, he said. The meditation hall is part and parcel of the temple. To use the meditation hall as a store house and to prevent devotees from meditating was totally against the Vedic principles based on which the temple was designed and constructed. The authorities cannot act against the Vedic principles, he said. The petitioner said he had written to the authorities to restore Dhyana Mandapam to its original position and allow the public to meditate in the hall. However, his efforts had failed, he said and sought a direction to the HR and CE authorities to restore Dhyana Mandapam to its original condition and keep it open for the devotees.

It is shocking that people are still being kept out of temples because of their caste, says Madras High Court
It is shocking that people are still being kept out of temples because of their caste, says Madras High Court

The Hindu

time2 days ago

  • Politics
  • The Hindu

It is shocking that people are still being kept out of temples because of their caste, says Madras High Court

It is shocking that even after more than 75 years of independence people are still being kept out of temples because of their caste, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has observed in a recent order. Justice B. Pugalendhi observed that the Constitution did not allow discrimination. God did not discriminate. Only human beings did, the court said, while hearing the petitions filed by Vanniyakulachathiriyar Nala Arakattalai (Trust), represented by its president Murugan, and Marimuthu, who alleged that Scheduled Caste devotees were being denied entry into the temple. The court observed that the petitions raised serious constitutional and administrative issues concerning Mariamman Temple at Chinna Dharapuram in Karur district. The Trust sought removal of the 2018 prohibitory order and permission to resume festivals and worship. It said no caste discrimination took place in the temple, which they had the right to manage. On the other hand, Mr. Marimuthu alleged that the SC devotees were being denied entry into the temple. The officials had failed to protect their rights to equality and religion. The Karur Collector, in a status report, admitted that the temple had remained closed for public worship and festival-related activities since 2018. Pujas alone were being performed. The reason was apprehension of communal tension and law and order issues, he said. Condemning the report, the court observed that the closure of a public temple for years under the guise of law and order concern was a dereliction of constitutional duty. If there was any real threat, it was the Collector's responsibility to handle it. Equally disturbing was the role of police. 'They seem to think that the only way to keep peace is by denying entry to everyone. This is wrong. Stopping everyone from entering is not the way to maintain peace. It is the job of the police to make sure that rights are protected, and that anyone who breaks the law is dealt with properly,' the court observed. It observed that the Collector admitted that the temple was under the control of the HR&CE Department and was being managed by a Fit Person. Legally, the temple was a public temple under the HR&CE Department, and the Trust had no official right to claim full control. It was the duty of the department and the State to make sure that everyone was allowed to worship. A good example of how such situations could be handled was the Kandadevi Temple festival in Sivaganga district. The temple festival had been stopped for 17 years due to similar caste tensions. But, in 2024, the government took proactive steps and ensured that the festival took place peacefully with participation of all. The government must remember that peace built by denying rights was not real peace, it was surrender, the court observed. The court made it clear that no person or group could block the access to a public temple based on caste. If anyone tried to create trouble or claim superiority based on caste, they would face strict legal consequences, the court said. The court directed the Karur Collector, Superintendent of Police, and HR&CE Department to file a report and posted the matter for hearing after three weeks.

Constitute SIT to probe into Madurai Corporation property tax scam: Madras High Court
Constitute SIT to probe into Madurai Corporation property tax scam: Madras High Court

New Indian Express

time2 days ago

  • Politics
  • New Indian Express

Constitute SIT to probe into Madurai Corporation property tax scam: Madras High Court

MADURAI: The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Thursday directed the Inspector General of Police (South Zone) and Madurai City Police Commissioner to constitute a special investigation team headed by a senior IPS officer with proven integrity to probe into the property tax scam in Madurai Corporation. A bench of justices SM Subramaniam and AD Maria Clete gave the direction while hearing a PIL plea by an AIADMK councillor T Ravi seeking CBI probe. According to Ravi, the mayor and zonal chairpersons, in connivance with corporation officials, had committed a huge scam in property tax collection and it was brought to the notice of the corporation commissioner by AIADMK councillors during council meetings. Commercial properties charged at housing tax rate Subsequently, the commissioner had appointed an inquiry committee, and based on its report, he had lodged a complaint with the city police commissioner. The gist of the complaint, as per Ravi's petition, was that during 2022-2024, at the instigation and knowledge of the mayor and zonal chairpersons of the corporation, officials had fraudulently mutated commercial tax properties into house tax by reducing built area, changing commercial into semi-commercial portions, removing additional rooms, etc., from the tax server. Initially the officials increased the property tax and made the public suffer and then illegally reduced the taxes to enable interested persons to pay less tax to the civic body, causing a total loss of over Rs 200 crore to the civic body, Ravi alleged. Though the commissioner had lodged the complaint as early as September 2024, police registered a case only in June 2025, he pointed out. He further alleged that the police have only arrested low-ranking officials and contract staff and left out the real culprits by acting hand-in-glove with the latter.

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