Madras HC cancels acquittal of 3 in illegal granite mining case

Madras High Court Judge B Pugalendhi has set aside the acquittal of three people in Melur illegal granite mining case. The judge has also cancelled the order of the judicial tribunal seeking action against the then Madurai Collector Anshul Mishra.

Madurai: The Madurai bench of the Madras High Court (HC) on Wednesday cancelled the order issued by the Melur Judicial Magistrate releasing three people, including mining baron PR Palanichamy, in a case seeking government ownership of illegally mined granite stones.

The HC Judge B Pugalendhi who was hearing the case also cancelled the order of the judicial tribunal seeking action against the then Madurai Collector Anshul Mishra, and public prosecutors, who had filed the petition in the case.

Now, the then-District Collector Mishra will have to appear before the Special Court for mineral resources within 2 months, post which the trial of the case should be completed within the next 2 months.

So far 98 cases have been filed in the Melur Judicial Magistrate on behalf of the Madurai district collectors seeking the government to regularize the granite stones illegally mined near Melur, and placed on private lands.

Melur Judicial Magistrate (JM) Mahendra Bhupathi had earlier heard two cases against PR Palanichamy and his son Suresh Kumar and one case against another accused Rama Sakadevan on March 29,2016. Following the hearing, the Judicial Magistrate had ordered the release of PR Palanichamy, Suresh Kumar and Rama Sakadevan.

JM Bhupathi had earlier said that Misra, an IAS officer who had filed the cases in 2013, was not a district collector at the time, but had filed cases claiming to be one. Bhupathi, therefore, recommended criminal action against Misra and the public prosecutors who acted in his favour.

The district judges went to the Melur Judicial Magistrate Court in connection with the order and conducted an inquiry. JM Mahendra Bhupathi was later suspended.

In this situation, two appeals were filed in the High Court of Madurai bench on behalf of the District Collector seeking the quashing of the order issued by the Melur Judicial Magistrate.

Similarly, appeals were filed on behalf of the government against the release of accused in illegal mining of granite stones 3 including PR Palanichamy.

(ANI Report)