The Madurai bench of the Chennai high court has ordered the transfer of all the cases related to the Thoothukudi Sterlite shootout to CBI. After 15 PILs were filed in relation to the Thoothukudi shootout, Justice CT Selvam and Basheer after hearing the arguments, ordered the transfer of the cases filed by Thoothukudi police in connection to the 22 May 2018 protests against Sterlite to the CBI.
The bench also ordered the CBI to form a special team to look into all the aspects of the case and analyze it from all angles and reach the bottom of the truth and has given four months of time to submit its report. With regard to the shootout, the court has said that even though it was not premeditated, it has been clear that the police standing order 03 was not followed, and ordered the DGP of police to modify police standing orders in connection to firearms, so as to prevent similar issues in future.
It also directed the Home Secretary
of TN Government to bring the Temporary Suspension of telecom services rule
2017, as per the norms set by United Nations special reporter on right to
freedom of expression and opinion.
