In a Supreme Court ruling delivered on August 29, 2024, the case against Baskar, a key accused in a 2009 murder, was revived after the Court overturned a previous High Court decision. The Supreme Court found that Baskar had repeatedly misused legal procedures to delay the trial. The initial case involved a violent incident at the AIADMK Party Office in Dharmapuri, Tamil Nadu, leading to the death of Veeramani, the brother of the complainant, Ravi.
The case began when Ravi, a member of the AIADMK, tried to file a nomination at the party office in Dharmapuri on November 24, 2009. He and his brother were attacked by a group led by AIADMK Town Secretary S.R. Vetrivel. Baskar, the second accused, allegedly brought weapons from a vehicle, and both Vetrivel and Baskar attacked Veeramani. Despite being rushed to a hospital, Veeramani succumbed to his injuries.
The police filed a chargesheet against 31 people, including Baskar, accusing them of serious offenses, including murder. Baskar attempted to get himself discharged from the case, but both the Sessions Court and the High Court dismissed his applications. However, after the charges were framed, Baskar filed another application seeking modification of the charges. This was also dismissed by the Sessions Court, but the High Court unexpectedly overturned this decision.
The Supreme Court criticized the High Court’s decision, stating that it ignored previous rulings and legal principles. The Court emphasized that Baskar’s repeated applications were an abuse of the legal process, aimed at delaying the trial. The Supreme Court restored the charges framed by the Sessions Court and ordered Baskar to pay Rs. 50,000 in costs to the complainant, Ravi. The Sessions Court was directed to expedite the trial, and any further non-cooperation by the accused could result in the cancellation of their bail.
This ruling underscores the Supreme Court’s commitment to preventing the misuse of legal processes and ensuring that justice is not delayed.
