HC closes plea to withdraw cases against anti-KKNPP agitators

The Madras High Court today closed a petition seeking a direction from the court to Tamil Nadu Home Secretary to issue orders to withdraw cases filed against "innocent" fisher folk youth who took part in the anti-Koodankulam Nuclear Power Plant agitation.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice M Sathyanarayanan closed the petition after Government Pleader S T S Moorthy produced a Government Order dated October 9, 2014, which said: "in terms of the orders passed by Supreme Court, a decision has been taken by state Government to withdraw 213 cases out of 245 cases registered against members of People Movement Against Nuclear Energy, pending before the judicial Magistrate, Valliyoor."

The Supreme Court in its order observed to take endeavor to withdraw the cases filed against the KKNPP agitators by the State Government.
It was also affirmed by the state government in the Supreme Court, while hearing a special leave petition, that a decision was taken for withdrawal of 248 cases, but necessary steps to move the Judicial Magistrate for withdrawal of FIRs will be taken once the Government Order is issued.
The petitioners, Fishermen Care, approached the High Court to direct the State Government to comply with the order of the Supreme Court.
After recording the government Pleader's statement, bench in its order said "the issue aforesaid is thus sorted out and we cannot compel the State Government to withdraw 245 cases, if, on analysing the cases, it is found that only 213 cases meet such withdrawal.