Cuddalore Member of Parliament (MP) TRVS Ramesh, from the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) in Tamil Nadu, surrendered before a court in Panruti on Monday, 11 October, after he was charged with the murder of a 55-year-old labourer working at a cashew nut processing unit at Panikankuppam, on 19 September.
The deceased, identified as K Govindarasu of Melmampattu village, was working as a labourer at the unit owned by the DMK MP. The CB-CID officials who filed the charge sheet on 24 September had earlier arrested five other accused involved in the crime.
Cuddalore CB-CID officials had earlier arrested five other men who were also allegedly involved in the crime and presented them before a local court.
At the time, they said that the MP was absconding. They had also sought permission from the secretary of the Lok Sabha to arrest the Cuddalore MP.
In a statement released on Monday, 11 October, Ramesh said that certain political forces were using the FIR against him for personal gain in a way that affected the DMK and that as a member of the party, it caused him pain.
“In order to avoid any further false accusations against my leader, I surrender to the court in connection to the charges against me by the CB-CID. I will prove in court that the accusations against me lack evidence.”TRVS Ramesh, MP, Cuddalore
The police said that on 19 September, Govindarasu was stopped when he was returning home from work and questioned about a theft that took place at the cashew processing unit. As a confrontation took place, five men, including the MP, had allegedly assaulted Govindarasu, who suffered injuries on his face and neck, according to the police.
Officials said that Govindarasu was then brought to the Kadampuliyur police station to report the theft, but were asked to take him to a hospital for treatment.
The men allegedly left an injured Govindarasu at the unit itself, following which he was found dead on 20 September. The case later moved to the Madras High Court, which on 22 September, ordered for an autopsy and also transferred the case to the CB-CID.
(Published in an arrangement with The News Minute.)
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