CHENNAI: DMK Rajya Sabha member J Constandine Ravindran on Saturday petitioned Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and chief electoral officer Archana Patnaik, seeking action against Tamil Nadu chief minister C Joseph Vijay and TVK leader Aadhav Arjuna for allegedly violating the model code of conduct and a Madras high court order restraining them from making remarks about the DMK and its leaders in connection with a POCSO case against granite baron R Veeramani.Ravindran accused Vijay of repeatedly referring to the sensitive case during his Madurantakam election campaign despite the court order. He said the CM’s remarks showed that the TVK leadership was disregarding the court’s directions and the rule of law. “We have submitted a petition to the chief electoral officer, demanding immediate action against them,” he said.The DMK MP alleged that the ruling party was distributing money to voters in Madurantakam and had submitted a complaint with video evidence. He further accused TVK leaders of using govt vehicles for election campaigns and involving schoolchildren in their campaign. He urged the Election Commission to intervene to ensure a free and fair bypoll.‘DMK accuse TVK govt attempt to save their family friend Veeramani’Responding to Vijay’s allegations that the previous DMK govt had tried to cover up the POCSO case against Veeramani, Ravindran alleged that TVK ministers had maintained cordial relations with the accused, with one of them describing him as a “family friend.”He accused the state police, under the TVK govt, of repeatedly seeking adjournments in the case to protect Veeramani. The judge was unhappy with the repeated delays and ordered his arrest on Aug 27, he said and noted that it was not the other way around as claimed by the CM.“Vijay acted to save himself after his attempt to cover up the case was exposed. He is now diverting the issue by blaming the DMK. People are watching everything, and they are not fools,” Ravindran said.He said the police and the entire govt machinery were under the control of the TVK govt and demanded a thorough investigation and stringent action against everyone involved in the case.
