In a significant development regarding the violent clashes that rocked the Madras High Court premises over a decade ago, the High Court on Thursday quashed the chargesheets filed against 28 advocates and 4 police officers.
The single-judge bench of Justice M Nirmal Kumar allowed the petitions filed by Advocate Rajnikanth and 27 other lawyers, effectively ending the criminal proceedings against them in relation to the February 19, 2009 violence.
In a balanced order, the Court similarly allowed the petitions filed by four police officers who were also facing charges related to the same incident, quashing the chargesheets against them as well.
The case stems from the infamous incident on February 19, 2009, which marked a dark day in the history of the Madras High Court. The violence originated from a confrontation involving the then Janata Party leader Subramanian Swamy.
According to the records, a ruckus ensued inside a court hall where advocates allegedly hurled rotten eggs at Swamy. This act triggered a severe altercation between the lawyers and the police force deployed at the venue.
The situation rapidly escalated into a full-scale clash on the High Court premises. The violence resulted in:
- Injuries to several advocates and policemen.
- Injuries to a High Court Judge.
- Extensive damage to numerous vehicles parked within the court complex.
Following the incident, chargesheets were filed against members of the Bar as well as police personnel. The petitions heard by Justice M Nirmal Kumar sought to quash these proceedings. With the Court’s order on Thursday, the charges against the 28 named advocates and the 4 police officers have been set aside.
