A.Arunmozhithevan v. The State Rep By, The Inspector Of Police
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS
DATED: 09.01.2026
CORAM:
THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE A.D.JAGADISH CHANDIRA Crl.O.P.No.71 of 2026 and Crl.M.P.No.65 of 2026 1.
A.Arulmozhithevan Umamaheswaran 3.
Nanmaran 4.
Chandrakumar 5.
Srinivasan ... Petitioners Vs.
The State of Tamil Nadu, Represented by, The Inspector of Police, Sethiyathope, Cuddalore - 608 702.
... Respondent PRAYER: Criminal Original Petition is filed under Section 528 of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita/Section 482 Cr.P.C., to call for the records pertaining to Crime No.59 of 2023 dated 10.03.2023 on the file of the respondent and quash the same.
For Petitioners : Mr.G.Chandrasekhar For Respondent : Mr.S.Santhosh Government Advocate (Criminal Side) 1/5
O R D E R
The present Criminal Original Petition has been filed seeking to quash the First Information Report in Crime No.59 of 2023, pending on the file of the respondent police.
The brief facts of the case are that on 10.03.2023, the petitioners, along with others, allegedly formed an unlawfully assembly and conducted a protest without obtaining any permission, condemning the Government for non-payment of compensation in respect of the lands acquired for the Neyveli Lignite Corporation. It is alleged that the said protest resulted in traffic congestion and disturbance to the public. Consequently, the respondent police registered a case in Crime No.59 of 2023 for the offences under Sections 143, 341 & 188 IPC, which is now sought to be quashed.
3.
Learned counsel appearing for the petitioners submitted that the facts of the instant case are similar to the facts of the cases in Jeevanandham and others vs. The Inspector of Police, Velayuthampalayam Police Station, Karur District reported in (2018 2 LW (Crl) 606) and Sri Raja vs Inspector of Police, Sivakasi Town Police Station Virudhunagar District and others (Crl.O.P(MD) No.7922 of 2019, 2/5
decided on 30.08.2019), in which the proceedings were quashed. Hence, he prayed to quash the proceedings pending against the petitioners. 4.
Learned Government Advocate (Criminal Side) appearing for the respondent police submitted that the present case was registered on account of the protest conducted by the accused without obtaining permission. He further submitted that the investigation in this case has been completed and that the charge sheet has also been filed, which is yet to be taken on file by the Court concerned. He also endorsed the submission made by the learned counsel for the petitioners that the facts of the present case are akin to those in the aforesaid two cases. 5.
Having heard the learned counsel appearing on either side and upon perusal of the entire materials available on record, this Court is of the opinion that the above said decisions would apply on all fours to the present case and that no useful purpose will be served by keeping the proceedings pending and the same is liable to be quashed. Further, though the petition has been filed by the petitioners alone, no useful purpose would be served by allowing the proceedings to continue against the remaining accused, who are all similarly placed, and it is an abuse of process of law. 3/5
6.
Accordingly, this Criminal Original Petition stands allowed and the proceedings pursuant to the First Information Report in Crime No.59 of 2023, on the file of the respondent Police and now pending before the Court is hereby quashed in entirety. Consequently, the connected miscellaneous petition is also closed.
09.01.2026 ham To 1.
The Inspector of Police, Sethiyathope, Cuddalore - 608 702.
The Public Prosecutor, High Court of Madras.
4/5
A.D.JAGADISH CHANDIRA , J.
ham and Crl.M.P.No.65 of 2026 09.01.2026 5/5