Tamil Nadu BJP president K. Annamalai wrote to the Chief Justice of India N.V. Ramana on Friday, opposing the participation of State Law Minister S. Regupathy in a proposed function organised by the Madras High Court for the laying of foundation stone of the administrative block of the High Court, claiming he was facing a criminal case.
In his letter, Mr. Annamalai said the Minister, who was listed as a participant in the event, had a pending criminal case against him.
If the Minister was made to participate in the event and allowed to take a seat with the Chief Justice of India and other judges of the Madras High Court, it would gravely cause shame and dissent among the litigants, general public and the legal fraternity, he said.
During the inauguration of the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court, Mr. Annamalai said, then Chief Minister Jayalalithaa was supposed to be the guest of honour, but citing the pendency of criminal cases against her, the then opposition party DMK sent representations to the Chief Justice to prevent her from attending the inauguration. Jayalalithaa did not attend the inauguration and her name was also not inscribed in the inauguration plaques, he said. Mr. Annamalai requested the Chief Justice to take note of a similar case in this instance and to do the needful.
