High Court notice to Tamil Nadu government on PIL on May 1 twin bomb blast case

CHENNAI: Madras High Court today issued notice to the Tamil Nadu government and other higher police authorities on a PIL seeking a direction to the Railways to transfer the May 1 bomb blast case here to the National Investigating Agency ( NIA).

Admitting a PIL filed by an advocate, a summer vacation division bench, comprising Justice Aruna Jagadeesan and Justice Vydyanathan issued notice to the state Home Secretary and other higher police authorities, returnable by four weeks.

Advocate M Durai Selvan contended that the twin blasts on a train at Chennai Central station on May 1 that killed a woman and injured six others has triggered fear among the public in Tamil Nadu. He also sought a direction to authorities concerned to pay Rs 25 lakh solatium to the family of the woman.

He submitted that the blast took place a day prior to the public meeting in Andhra Pradesh by then Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi and that he had addressed public meetings at several places in that state, except at Guntur from where the deceased woman hails.

He also submitted that none had so far claimed responsibility for the incident on the Guwahati Express.

Alleging that the incident posed a threat to the nation, and the Railway Authorities had failed to ensure the safety of passengers, he said such kind of 'terror strike' should be investigated by a Central agency, as the railway and state police had failed to nab the accused.

He further submitted that though the state government has transferred the investigation to CB-CID wing, which is already burdened with several high profile cases, it is indispensable to transfer the case to NIA, formed under the NIA Act to investigate those who masterminded the incident.