Katju directs Tamil Nadu government to arrest 30 cops in Manimaran raid case

HYDERABAD: Coming down heavily on Tamil Nadu administration, Press Council of India Chairman Justice Markandey Katju today asked Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa to follow the law or resign forthwith, after hearing a 2011 case involving the 'Thinabhoomi' editor.

Disposing of a petition filed by S Manimaran, editor of Tamil daily ' Thinaboomi', against the Tamil Nadu government over a police raid on his residence in Madurai and his "kidnap" in 2010-11, Justice Katju directed the Jayalalithaa government to immediately arrest the 30 policemen involved in the incident.

When the counsel for TN government pointed out that the alleged incident took place when DMK was in power, the PCI chief admonished him saying: "We are not bothered who is at the helm. She has to administer (the government) as per the law of the land or should resign."

"Do police think it's still a British raj? It is time they learn a lesson," Justice Katju observed.

The case pertains to police action against Manimaran following a report published in his daily on illegal mining activity.

Katju was today hearing to cases from Andhra, Tamilnadu, Karnataka and Kerala here.