HC quashes cases against Tamil language protesters
Madurai : Madras high court has quashed trial court proceedings against people who held a protest in 2024, seeking to make Tamil the official language of the high court. The case of the prosecution is that the petitioners and others unlawfully assembled on Feb 11, 2024 in Theni district, and put up a flex banner, seeking to introduce Tamil as an official language in the high court. The petitioner and others were alleged to have threatened police officials and prevented them from performing their duties. They were also alleged to have threatened to set fire to the vehicles if they were not permitted to protest. Theni police registered a case against the petitioner and others. Justice R Vijayakumar observed that as per the charge sheet, the petitioner and others have unlawfully assembled and protested for not introducing Tamil as an official language in the high court. As far as the other allegations are concerned, all the listed witnesses are police officials. In such circumstances, continuation of criminal proceedings as against the petitioner would only be an abuse of process of law. The other accused also stand on the same footing. Hence, the judge quashed the trial court proceedings against the petitioner and others.
The court was hearing the petition filed by S Vinoth Raja seeking to quash the proceedings pending against him before the Theni judicial magistrate court.