By Arun Lakshman
Chennai, Aug 22 (IANS): The AIADMK-led opposition boycotted the Tamil Nadu Assembly on August 18 and 19 alleging that the DMK government under M.K. Stalin was bent on framing the Leader of Opposition and former Chief Minister K. Palaniswami in the Kodanad murder case.
An AIADMK delegation met Tamil Nadu Governor, Banwarilal Purohit on August 19 and apprised him of the vendetta politics being practiced by the DMK government against its senior leaders including raids at their residences, offices and other premises. The opposition cited the example of the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti Corruption (DVAC) conducting early morning raids at the residences of former ministers M.R. Vijayabaskar and S.P. Velumani on alleged corruption charges.
Palaniswami addressed the media and said the DMK government was trying to frame him in the murder case of Om Bahadur who was a watchman at the Kodanad summer estate of late Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa. Stalin responded in the legislative Assembly stating that the government does not have any role to play in the investigation and that those who have done wrong will be afraid of the police probe.
The AIADMK is of the view that the charge sheet has already been given in the case and it was under judicial hearing. The sudden interrogation again of the first accused in the case, K.P. Sayan was a move intended to frame Palaniswami.
The main opposition also alleged that the advocates who had appeared for the accused in the case were all rewarded with plum positions by the DMK government and that there was a clear nexus between the government and the accused. The opposition said that the government had made some promises to the accused that they would be protected if they depose against the former Chief Minister.
Stalin also said in the Assembly that a proper probe in the Kodanad murder case was a promise of the DMK to the people of Tamil Nadu during the campaign for the Assembly elections of 2021.
It was on April 24, 2017 that a break-in and the murder of the watchman, Om Bahadur took place. Om Bahadur was on duty at the 10th gate of the sprawling 800 acre summer estate of late J. Jayalalithaa. His body was found hanging upside down from a tree with his throat slit. Another guard Krishna Bahadur who was at gate no 8 was also assaulted but he escaped with injuries. Police charged that a 10-member gang were behind the heist and the murder.
The present issue cropped up after the Tamil Nadu police interrogated the first accused K.P. Sayan with the Nilgiris district Police Superintendent Ashish Rawat questioning him for more than three years. The AIADMK is alleging that the DMK government was trying to protect the actual culprits and that the possibility of framing a case against Palaniswami was very strong.