Police book M K Stalin, 2000 DMK workers for violating ban orders

SALEM: DMK Treasurer M K Stalin and 2,000 party workers have been booked by the city police for participation in the inauguration of a statue of late party veteran Veerapandi Arumugam here in violation of ban orders.

Cases had been registered against Stalin, who inaugurated the statue last evening, and others under the Indian Penal Code for various offences including disobedience to order promulgated by public servant, punishment for unlawful assembly and obstruction in public way, police said.

Reacting to the registration of the case, Stalin told reporters that there were a number of "false" cases against DMK members pending in various courts.

"We will meet the challenge legally," he said. The installation of the statue of Arumugam, a former state minister, at the entrance of the DMK's office here ran into trouble after the city Corporation Commissioner rejected permission for it and ordered its removal.

Challenging the January 20 order, the local party unit moved the Madras High Court which stayed it for two weeks on January 24.

Armed with the high court order, DMK decided to go ahead with the inauguration of the life-size bronze statue.

However, city Police Commissioner K C Mahali passed an order rejecting permission saying the matter was sub-judice.

The court had only stayed the corporation's order and the petitioner had not obtained any order with regard to the statue inauguration. Since the matter was sub-judice, the Commissioner said.

Though the order was pasted at the function premises, the statue was inaugurated by Stalin, son of DMK President M Karunahidhi, amid a war of words between the large number of partymen gathered there and officials.

DMK District Secretary incharge S R Sivalingam, T M Selvaganapathy, MP, former MLA Raja, former Mayor Rekapriyadarshini are among those booked by police.