The Madras High Court on Monday directed police to continue its search for missing film producer S Madhan, following allegations from parents of students that he had collected large amounts of money from them with the false promise of getting their wards engineering seats in a leading college.
Further, Madhan’s mother has now alleged that he was kidnapped and accused the police of not taking suitable action to trace him by giving in to influence.
The division bench, comprising Justices S Nagamuthu and V Bharathidasan, before which the habeas corpus petition by Madhan's mother came up, directed the Additional Public Prosecutor to get further instructions in this regard.
The case pertains to film producer Madhan, also Managing Partner of Vendhar Movies, who went missing some days ago after some issues reportedly cropped up between him and owners of SRM Group.
The petitioner submitted that her son, who had gone to Delhi in connection with some business on May 27, had told her that he would return on May 29.
But she received a Whatsapp message from him stating that he wanted to end his life after a failed business transaction with SRM Group.
From then on, he stopped contacting her and went missing, she said.
She submitted that though the family had lodged a complaint with police on May 31, 2016, no case was registered by them and no steps taken to trace her son.
However, the Additional Public Prosecutor submitted that a "man missing" case was registered on June 1, 2016, based on a complaint from the petitioner.
He further submitted that several complaints had been lodged against Madhan, which have been transferred to the Central Crime Branch.
The APP sought time to get further instructions in this regard.
The bench recorded the submission and said, "in view of the above, the habeas corpus is adjourned to June 8 enabling the APP to get further instructions. In the meantime, the search of detenue should continue."