5 held for planting ganja to frame social activist
The arrested were identified as Rajapandi, 65, Periya Chokkanathan, 27, Sundar, 19, Jayamoorthy, 65, and a 17-year-old boy. A detailed inquiry revealed that Periya Chokkanathan, due to previous enmity with Rajkumar, had furnished false information to police claiming that the social activist was dealing in ganja and banned tobacco products.
Information was received about the presence of ganja and banned tobacco products near the residence of social activist Rajkumar within the limits of S V Mangalam police station, according to police. Sivaganga: Five people, including a minor, were arrested for planting ganja and banned tobacco products near the property of a social activist in Sivaganga district and providing false information to police in an attempt to implicate him in criminal activities. A police team rushed to the spot and recovered the contraband. However, during the investigation, officers found that Rajkumar was neither involved in nor aware of the presence of the prohibited substances. Based on the findings, police registered a case under relevant provisions of NDPS Act, COTPA Act and Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The four accused were arrested and remanded to judicial custody, while the juvenile was produced before Juvenile Justice Board and sent to an observation home. Rajkumar had led a protest demanding the closure of a Tasmac outlet in Sivaganga district. He alleged that a person who had been operating a bar attached to the outlet attempted to plant a ganja packet near his kirana store.
On Friday, Rajkumar, a resident of Thirukalapatti village, submitted a representation to district superintendent of police Abhishek Gupta seeking action against the people who tried to implicate him in a ganja case.