Bawaria case: Madras HC raps cops for inaction – Times of India

CHENNAI: Theeran Adhigaaram Ondru, a Tamil movie based on the true events from the ‘Operation Bawaria’ case handled by the Tamil Nadu police, might be a blockbuster. But the trial of the 15-year-old case is still pending with 14 of the 23 accused still at large.
Expressing shock over the facts, Justice V Bharathidasan of the Madras high court has directed the appearance of the investigating officer to explain their inaction in securing the accused and speeding up the trial.
The inordinate delay in the trial came to light when Jagadeesh Pura, one of the prime accused in the case, moved a bail application in the high court.
The issue pertains to a murder-cum-dacoity committed by a nine-member gang after breaking into the residence of former AIADMK minister K Sudarsanam in Thanakulam on the outskirts of Chennai on May 2, 2005. During the incident Sudarsanam was killed.
Subsequently, the Tamil Nadu police went up to Haryana and arrested nine accused including the gang leader Oman Bavaria. While the trial was pending, Bavaria died.
Now, Bavaria’s brother Jagadeesh Pura has moved the court seeking to enlarge him on bail. He contended that he has been in incarceration for the past 15 years which is illegal.
Opposing the same, additional public prosecutor M Prabhavathi submitted that so far, the prosecution has examined 69 witnesses and only three of the accused are cooperating by appearing and others are in absconding. Non-bailable warrants (NBW) are pending against the absconding accused, she said.
“The petitioner, who is one of the prime accused, is a notorious criminal and habitual offender. If let out on bail he would abscond and escape to another state as he hails from Haryana,” Prabhavathi said.
Recording the submissions, the court expressed shock over the delay in completing the trial and failure on part of the investigating officer to secure the absconding accused against whom NBWs are pending.