Nine Accused In Dr Rajkumar’s Kidnapping Acquitted In TN 

The case involving the kidnap of legendary actor Dr Rajkumar has made progress after a long-drawn court battle. A local court at Gobichettipalayam in Tamil Nadu on Tuesday (23 September) acquitted all nine accused. The incident happened over 18 years ago.

Additional District Judge K Mani was reported as saying, “The prosecution has failed to provide even an iota of evidence to prove that these nine men were connected to Veerappan and (his aide) Sethukuzhi Govindan. Hence, giving benefit of doubt, I acquit all the nine men from the case.”

In an article published by Deccan Herald, the nine names of the accused were released. Maran, Iniyan, Andril, Sathya, Nagaraj, Puttusamy, Rama, Basavanna and Govindaraj have been acquitted after eight years of court hearings. Along with Dr Rajkumar, his son-in-law, S A Govindraj and assistant director Nagappa were also kidnapped by Veerappan near a farmhouse in Erode.

Dr Rajkumar had been released from captivity after more than 100 days, following several negotiations. The CB-CID filed the charge-sheet only as late as 2011.

The judge questioned why Dr Rajkumar and Parvathamma were not questioned when they were alive. The family also never attempted to file a complaint in this matter.

In the video released, Dr Rajkumar is seen to be happy, but the charges say that he was tortured. This was also raised by the court. Despite having 47 witnesses, 51 documents and 32 material evidences to prove the case, the prosecution had failed to prove a strong argument right.

The charges pressed were 25 (1) (b), 27 (1) of the Arms Act, Indian Penal Code sections 109 for abetment of an offence, 120 B for conspiracy, 147 for unlawful assembly, 148 for unlawful assembly with deadly weapons, 449 for criminal trespass into a house, 364 A and 365 for abduction.