Cuddalore MP TRVS Ramesh, who is accused of murdering a 55-year-old man from Panruti, is currently absconding from the CB-CID police who recently sought permission to arrest him. The Cuddalore CB-CID officials arrested five other men who were also involved in the crime and presented them before the local court.
The deceased, identified as K Govindarasu (55) of Melmampattu village, had been working as a labourer at the Panikankuppam cashew processing unit, owned by the DMK MP. According to police, on the evening of September 19, Govindarasu, while returning home from work, was allegedly stopped and questioned by another employee regarding a theft at the cashew unit. The employee reportedly further accused Govindarasu of stealing cashew nuts from the processing unit. Subsequently, five men and MP Ramesh had allegedly assaulted Govindarasu causing visible injuries on his face and neck, police said.
The police further added that the injured Govindarasu was brought to the Kadampuliyur police station by two men to report the theft. But the police asked the men to take Govindarasu to hospital for treatment and then bring him to the station. However, the men allegedly left the severely injured Govindarasu at the Panikankuppam cashew processing unit without getting him medical help. Govindarasu was subsequently found dead on September 20 morning, police officials added.
Following this, the Kadampuliyur police registered a case under Section 174 (unnatural death) of the Criminal Procedure Code and initiated an inquiry. Meanwhile, Govindarasu’s son Senthilvel alleged that DMK MP Ramesh and his men murdered his father, but the accused claim that he died of suicide.
As the case moved to the Madras High Court, the bench on September 22 ordered doctors from JIMPER, Puducherry to conduct an autopsy on September 23 and videotape the procedure.Subsequently, the case was also transferred to the CB-CID from Cuddalore district police. The CB-CID, who filed a chargesheet, arrested five men who were involved in the crime. On Friday, October 8, sought permission from the secretary of Lok Sabha to arrest Cuddalore DMK MP Ramesh. But police sources say that the MP is absconding.
Meanwhile Paattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) founder S Ramadoss questioned the reason behind not arresting the DMK MP TRVS Ramesh, who is supposedly the prime accused in the case.
Ramadoss also urged the Tamil Nadu government to pay death compensation and provide a government job to one family member of the deceased.