QChennai: Sasikala Seeks Time from I-T Dept & More

Here’s the daily lowdown of all things Chennai.

1. Sasikala Seeks Time from I-T Dept

VK Sasikala, the jailed aide of former chief minister Jayalalithaa, has claimed that she is on ‘moun vrat’ (vow of silence) till the second week of February, and sought time to give her oral statement to Income Tax Department, which had conducted searches on her premises late last year.

The department had issues summons to her through the authorities of Parappana Agrahara Prison in Bengaluru.

According to a senior official from I-T, Investigations Wing, the summons was issued in the first week of January.

(Source: The Hindu)

Also Read: I-T Dept May Question Sasikala in Jail in Connection to Raids

2. Nearly 1,000 Men Booked for Travelling in Ladies Compartment

The Railway Protection Force (RPF), Chennai division, has registered 988 cases against men who travelled in the ladies compartments of EMU and express trains in 2017.

A fine amount of over Rs 2.76 lakh was recovered from them. More than 90 percent of the cases were in the city.

Travelling in a ladies compartment is punishable under Section 162 of the Railways Act (entering carriage or other place reserved for females). The fine for the same may extend up to Rs 500.

(Source: The Hindu)

3. MGR’s Medical File Given to CM

HV Hande, who was the health minister during the AIADMK government under MG Ramachandran, on Wednesday, 24 January, handed over the latter’s medical file from 1984 to Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami at the Secretariat.

The file has about 30 sheets relating to the health and medical opinion of doctors from the then Madras and Bombay cities when MGR was hospitalised in Apollo Hospitals here during October and November 1984. Speaking to The Hindu, Hande said the former CM was admitted to the Apollo Hospitals and later taken to the US.

(Source: The Hindu)

Also Read: Superstar MGR: Story of Tamil Nadu’s Demigod in a Graphic Novel

4. Producers Mull Own Digital Distribution

Representatives of the four major South Indian film industries – Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada – met on Wednesday, 24 January, to discuss the possibilities of creating infrastructure to digitally distribute movies to theatres.

In the preliminary meeting, Tamil Film Producers Council president and actor Vishal said that a decision to support Telugu film industry’s strike against the high tariffs on 1 March was taken.

“We also discussed the possibility of making alternative arrangements such as setting up our own digital distribution infrastructure. The distribution companies are not being fair. Speaking to Qube has not and will not take us anywhere,” said Vishal.

(Source: The Hindu)

5. 372 Stone Idols, 832 Icons Stolen Since 1992, Govt Tells GC

The HR&CE Department Commissioner R Jaya appeared before the Madras High Court on Wednesday, 24 January, and filed a counter-affidavit stating that her department had sought the assistance of the Indian Institute of Technology-Madras in purchasing closed circuit television cameras of good resolution which could help prevent theft of ancient idols from temples across the State.

Justice R Mahadevan was told that Inspector General of Police AG Pon Manickavel, appointed as the head of Idol Wing-Criminal Investigation Department on the basis of court orders passed last year, had expressed dissatisfaction over the quality of CCTV cameras already installed in the strong rooms of the 11,512 temples in the state though such cameras were purchased in consultation with the district police concerned.

(Source: The Hindu)

6. Row Over Not Standing Up for State Song

Minister for Tamil Official Language and Tamil Culture K Pandiarajan said on Wednesday, 24 January, that Kanchi Acharya Vijayendra Saraswati should have stood while the state song was played during an event on Tuesday.

“In my opinion, he should have stood up. I do not know why he did not stand up; maybe he assumed it was not right to do so halfway as he was in deep meditation,” said Pandiarajan.

Pandiarajan termed the controversy as one without substance and said that it took the focus away from the book which was released at the event.

(Source: The Hindu)

7. DMK Candidate Spent the Most on Bypoll

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam candidate N Marudu Ganesh has reported to the election expenditure observers that he spent Rs 21.07 lakh, the highest amount spent by a candidate for the by-election to the Dr Radhakrishnan Nagar Assembly constituency.

TTTV Dhinakaran, who won the bypoll, declared expenses of just Rs 16.48 lakh. After scrutiny of all reports compiled by officials, District Election Officer D Karthikeyan has agreed with the amount reported by Dhinakaran.

According to election officials, Dhinakaran did not report the names of any donor for the amount spent for the by-election.

(Source: The Hindu)