Na. Karthik, DMK Coimbatore District Secretary, and six others were acquitted in a 2014 case filed during AIADMK rule. The case, lasting a decade, was dismissed due to lack of evidence.
Coimbatore: The Coimbatore JM No. 1 Court has acquitted Na. Karthik, the DMK Coimbatore District Secretary, and six others in a case filed against them in 2014 during the AIADMK regime. The verdict comes after a decade-long legal battle, with the court citing lack of evidence as the reason for dismissal.
The case dates back to November 24, 2014, when Karthik, then a zonal secretary, was distributing copies of a book titled "Oyyara Kondaiyam, Thazhampoovam, Ulle Irukkumaam Eerum Penum" written by former Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi in Pappanaickenpalayam area. The AIADMK government filed a case against Karthik and six others, including general body member Manigandan, Pazhayur Somu, Anandan, and Raja, accusing them of damaging an AIADMK flagpole, nameplate, and assaulting AIADMK administrators.
Following the verdict, DMK members gathered at the court premises to welcome Karthik, garlanding him in celebration. Speaking to reporters after the acquittal, Karthik expressed his relief and frustration over the case. "It's painful to have climbed up and down the court steps for ten years for a false case," he said.
Karthik alleged that the case was filed with malicious intent to suppress DMK's activities. "The AIADMK deliberately filed a false case to retaliate against us. The court's decision to acquit all of us due to lack of evidence proves that this was a planned attempt to stifle DMK's operations," he stated.
The DMK leader further emphasized the emotional toll of the prolonged legal battle, saying, "It has been distressing to frequent the court for a decade over a fabricated case." He viewed the acquittal as a vindication of their innocence and a failure of the previous government's attempts to target DMK functionaries through legal means.
This case and its resolution highlight the often contentious nature of political rivalries in Tamil Nadu, where legal battles can become extensions of political conflicts. The acquittal is seen as a significant relief for the DMK leadership in Coimbatore, allowing them to move forward without the burden of this long-standing case.