The Supreme Court Today (June 17) agreed to urgently hear a petition challenging Madras High Court’s oral order to arrest ADGP HM Jayaram in a kidnapping case. The arrest followed a confessional statement made by co-accused.
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NEW DELHI: The Hon’ble Supreme Court of India on Tuesday agreed to urgently hear a petition that challenges the Madras High Court’s oral direction, which asked the Tamil Nadu police to arrest Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) H.M. Jayaram in a kidnapping case.
A bench of two Supreme Court judges, Justice Ujjal Bhuyan and Justice Manmohan, confirmed that they will hear the matter on Wednesday. This decision came after a lawyer, appearing on behalf of the accused officer, made an urgent request in court.
The lawyer told the bench,
“Yesterday, a ADGP rank officer was arrested on the direction of the high court. I filed a special leave petition today at 10 am. Kindly list the matter for urgent hearing.”
Responding briefly but firmly, the bench said,
“Ok. We will hear it tomorrow.”
This situation started on Monday when the Madras High Court, in an oral observation, directed the Tamil Nadu police to arrest the senior police officer, ADGP Jayaram, in relation to an alleged kidnapping incident. As per reports, he was taken into custody immediately after stepping out of the court premises.
The directive was given by Justice P Velmurugan of the Madras High Court. He was hearing an anticipatory bail plea filed by M. Jagan Moorthy, a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) from Kilvaithinankuppam. Moorthy also heads a political outfit known as Puthia Bharatham Katchi. He had approached the court fearing arrest in the same kidnapping case.
During the court proceedings on Monday, the judge expressed serious concerns about the legislator’s involvement and called both M. Jagan Moorthy and ADGP Jayaram to appear before him in the afternoon session. According to case details, the ADGP’s official vehicle was allegedly used during the act of kidnapping, which further added to the seriousness of the charges.
Both individuals appeared before the court as ordered.
In a short but clear order, the judge stated that two of the co-accused in the kidnapping case had given confession statements that implicated ADGP Jayaram. Based on this, he said that necessary legal action should be taken.
The judge said,
“Since two of the accused have given a confession statement against the ADGP, action should be taken against him in the manner known to law.”
The judge then posted the matter for further hearing on June 26.
YESTERDAY IN MADRAS HC
CHENNAI: In a shocking development in Tamil Nadu, ADGP (Additional Director General of Police) HM Jayaram was arrested on Monday, right after the Madras High Court passed serious remarks against him and Puratchi Bharatham Party MLA Poovai M Jagan Moorthy.
Both are under suspicion for being involved in a kidnapping case of a teenage boy, which is linked to a love marriage that went against the girl’s family’s wishes.
This legal matter came up before Justice P Velmurugan, who was hearing the anticipatory bail petition of MLA Moorthy. During the hearing, the Court was informed that Moorthy was missing and trying to escape from police custody.
The judge then passed an order requiring both MLA Moorthy and ADGP Jayaram to personally appear in court that afternoon.
After MLA Moorthy appeared in court, the judge did not order his arrest but gave a direction that:
“Since he has appeared in person, he is directed to co-operate for the investigation being done by the Police,”
-said the Court.
But in the same hearing, the Court came down heavily on the senior police officer, ADGP Jayaram.
The judge directed the police to take necessary legal steps against him, saying:
“Since two of the accused had already been arrested, giving confession statement against the Additional Director General of Police, the respondent-Police is directed to secure and take action against the Additional Director General of Police in the manner known to law,”
-the Court ordered.
Shortly after this order from the High Court, ADGP Jayaram was arrested, as per media reports.
Background of the Case
This case involves the abduction of a teenage boy, whose elder brother (aged 23) had married a 21-year-old woman from Theni district against her family’s approval. After the marriage, the couple went into hiding.
The younger brother, who is around 16 to 18 years old, was reportedly kidnapped from his house while he was sleeping on the terrace. His mother, Lakshmi, lodged a complaint, after which the police started an investigation and arrested several individuals.
Allegations Against MLA Moorthy
According to the Additional Public Prosecutor (APP) A Damodaran, the police had attempted to arrest MLA Moorthy on June 15 (Sunday), but were stopped by around 2,000 party workers from Puratchi Bharatham Party, who had gathered at his house. Moorthy reportedly fled the scene during the chaos.
After this, Moorthy filed an anticipatory bail plea. His lawyer, Senior Advocate S Prabakaran, argued in the High Court that:
“My client has no involvement in the abduction case. Still, the police are trying to arrest him and keep him in custody,”
-he told the Court.
Serious Accusations Detailed in Court
On the other hand, APP Damodaran firmly told the court that MLA Moorthy was involved in the crime.
As per The Hindu, the APP explained that after the love marriage, the girl’s father Vanaraja contacted Maheshwari, a former woman constable who was removed from service. She tried to get the marriage cancelled and approached ADGP Jayaram, who then allegedly involved MLA Moorthy.
The APP said:
“The MLA’s men went to Lakshmi’s home to kidnap her elder son. When they did not find him there, they abducted her younger son instead.”
The youth was reportedly taken in two vehicles by the group. After police pressure increased, the ADGP’s official vehicle was used to release the kidnapped boy near a bus stand, to avoid being caught during police checking. A police constable drove the vehicle, and both Maheshwari and Vanaraja were reportedly present in the car.
Key People Arrested and Confessions Made
So far, five people have been arrested, including:
- Maheshwari (former police constable)
- Vanaraja (the girl’s father)
- Advocate Sarathkumar (connected to MLA Moorthy’s party)
According to the APP:
“Both the former constable and the lawyer confessed their involvement, and their statements clearly pointed fingers at the MLA as being part of the crime.”
The APP also informed the Court that:
“Rs 7.5 lakh was recovered from the accused. Only custodial interrogation can reveal the full truth behind this case.”
Next Court Hearing
The Madras High Court has listed the next hearing of this sensational case for June 26.
CASE TITLE:
M Jaganmoorthy vs The Inspector of Police.
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