Theni: The Madras High Court has quashed criminal proceedings pending before the Theni Judicial Magistrate Court against a group of people who staged a protest in Theni in February 2024, demanding that Tamil be made an official language of the High Court, ANI reported on Friday, October 23.

Source: ANI via LatestLY

Justice R. Vijayakumar passed the order while allowing a petition filed by S. Vinoth Raja, who had sought quashing of the criminal proceedings pending against him and others before the Theni court.

Source: ANI via DevDiscourse

According to the prosecution, the petitioner and others unlawfully assembled in Theni district on February 11, 2024, and erected a flex banner demanding the introduction of Tamil as an official language of the High Court. The prosecution also alleged that they threatened police personnel, obstructed them from discharging their duties, and threatened to set fire to vehicles if they were not permitted to stage the protest. Based on the complaint, Theni police registered a case against them. These are prosecution allegations, which the court was examining in the quashing petition.

Source: ANI via LatestLY

Counsel for the petitioner submitted that the protest was democratic in nature and argued that a false complaint had been registered against the petitioner and others, ANI reported.

Source: ANI via DevDiscourse

The judge observed that, according to the charge sheet, the petitioner and others had assembled and protested against the non-introduction of Tamil as an official language of the High Court. With regard to the other allegations, the judge noted that all the listed witnesses were police personnel.

Source: ANI via LatestLY

What is solid

  • The Madras High Court quashed the criminal proceedings against S. Vinoth Raja and the co-accused in the Theni protest case; Justice R. Vijayakumar passed the order (ANI).
  • The underlying protest took place in Theni on February 11, 2024, demanding that Tamil be made an official language of the High Court (ANI).

What is only claimed

  • The prosecution alleged unlawful assembly, threats to police personnel, obstruction of duty and a threat to set fire to vehicles; the petitioner's counsel argued the protest was democratic and the complaint was false. The court quashed the proceedings, holding that continuing them would amount to an abuse of the process of law.

Observing that the other accused were also in a similar position, the court quashed the criminal proceedings against the petitioner and the co-accused, ANI reported.