Madras High Court Orders Police Protection for AIADMK MLA C Ve Shanmugam

The Madras High Court has directed the Tamil Nadu Director General of Police (DGP) to provide adequate armed police protection to AIADMK MLA and former minister C Ve Shanmugam in Chennai. Justice G K Ilanthiraiyan passed the order after determining that the legislator faces a continuous threat to his life, particularly with a murder trial involving his family member still pending.

The court's decision reverses a 2021 action by the state police, which had withdrawn Shanmugam's security details following a change in the ruling regime in Tamil Nadu. Although Shanmugam subsequently submitted multiple representations requesting the reinstatement of his security, the authorities did not grant his requests, which ultimately prompted him to file a petition in the high court.

According to the petition, the security threats against Shanmugam began in 2006. At that time, a gang of criminal elements associated with his political rivals, accompanied by henchmen, arrived on a two-wheeler at his residence. The attackers assaulted Shanmugam, his two brothers, and his brother-in-law with deadly weapons, even in the presence of security personnel. While Shanmugam managed to escape, one of his brothers was murdered during the incident.

The investigation into the 2006 assault has since been completed, and a final report was filed. The case is currently pending trial before the I Additional District Court in Tindivanam. Shanmugam argued that the ongoing trial keeps the threat to his safety active.

During the court proceedings, the state police opposed the MLA's plea. The police submitted threat assessment reports gathered from all security agencies, which claimed that Shanmugam was not facing any active threat to his life.

Justice Ilanthiraiyan refused to concur with the security assessment provided by the police. The court ruled that the petitioner had made out a prima facie case to receive police protection to safeguard his life and limb, and officially disposed of the plea with the directive to the DGP.