Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (SP)

Mangalore, May 21: The Third JMFC Court here that is hearing the criminal case filed against former union minister Renuka Chowdhury for her alleged 'Talibanization' comment on the city, which the petitioners have said, is derogatory of the city and its citizens, has ordered for issuance of notices to the policemen for the alleged delaying tactics being employed by them in the case.

It may be recalled, that after an attack on a pub in the city on February 6 this year by a group of young men allegedly belonging to Sri Rama Sene, the then union minister Renuka Chowdhury had come down heavily against the cultural police of the city. She had said that the city had been Talibanized. Accusing Chowdhury of insulting and deriding the city and its citizens by this comment, Ganesh Hosabettu, who was the city mayor then, along with others, had issued legal notice to Chowdhury. As she did not respond, a complaint was filed in the court.

The court which considered the case as admissible, had given a month's time to the policemen to investigate into the case and submit a report, by March 20. As the policemen sought additional time, one more month was given. After two extensions, the case came up for hearing in the court on Wednesday. The advocate for the petitioners objected to the delaying tactics being employed by the police department, which has not shown any progress since the case was filed. The court admitted the objection, expressed unhappiness about the policemen for delaying the investigation in the case and ordered issuance of notices to them, seeking their explanation for the said delay.