Tamil Nadu Withdraws 5570 Cases Against Press, Demonstrators Who Protested Against CAA, Farm Laws

The Tamil Nadu government recently issued a Government Order withdrawing a total of 5,570 cases filed between 2011 and 2021 against media personnel and demonstrators who had peacefully protested against various laws and projects in the State.

The cases ordered to be withdrawn include those against persons who protested against the 2020 farm laws, the National Register of Citizens (NRC), the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), the eight-lane Chennai-Salem expressway project, the methane project, the neutrino observatory project and the Koodankulam nuclear power plant project.

The Government Order was signed by the Additional Chief Secretary to the Government, SK Prabakar.

"The Government, after careful examination, hereby orders for the withdrawal of 5,570 cases as per Annexure (I-V) registered against the freedom of Media/ Press (2011-2021) and Protestors who protested peacefully against three Agricultural Amendment Laws, National Register of Citizens/ Citizenship Amendment Act, Eight Lane/ Methane/ Neutrino of Koondakulam issues …. following the procedures as opined by the Public Prosecutor, High Court, Chennai. "

The GO also mentioned that as per the instructions of the Supreme Court in its interim Order dated 10.08.2021, no prosecution against a sitting or former M.P./M.L.A shall be withdrawn without the leave of the High Court. 

Accordingly, the Director General of Police was directed to furnish the details of cases involved against sitting or former MPs/MLAs to the government, for taking up the matter with the High Court of Madras.

According to the said GO, 2,831 cases against freedom or media or the press, 2,282 cases against CAA protesters, 405 cases against those who protested against the methane/ neutrino/ eight-lane projects and 26 cases against those who protested against the Koodankulam nuclear project have been withdrawn.

Out of the 5,570 cases proposed to be withdrawn, 4,460 cases are under investigation and in 1,110, the trial is pending.

The order has been issued while relying on the opinion of the Public Prosecutor, High Court, Chennai, stating that cases where investigation is still pending or a charge sheet has not been taken on the file, further action may be dropped by the concerned police.

In cases where the matter is pending trial, the Assistant Public Prosecutor in charge of the respective case may be directed to move an application under Section 321 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) for withdrawal of prosecution, it added.

Click Here To Read The Order