Madras HC orders handing over of AIADMK headquarters keys to team EPS

The ruling comes a day after private banks allowed Dindigul Srinivasan, the new treasurer of the AIADMK, to operate party accounts.

Published on: Jul 20, 2022, 16:55:15 IST

By HT News Desk

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In a major setback to former Tamil Nadu deputy chief minister O Panneerselvam, the Madras high court on Wednesday ordered the handing over of keys of the AIADMK’s office to interim general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami, referred to as EPS. Panneerselvam, also known as OPS, had filed a plea in the high court for granting possession of the party headquarters, 'MGR Maaligai,' to him.

Chennai: Leader of Opposition and AIADMK joint coordinator Edappadi K Palaniswami. (PTI file image)

Justice N Sathish Kumar directed police to provide adequate protection to the office located on Avvai Shanmugam Salai at Royapettah. The court also ordered the party cadres not to enter the headquarters for a month to avoid any untoward incidents.

The DMK-led government had sealed the premises following a violent clash that broke out between supporters of Palaniswami and Panneerselvam on July 11. The clashes were a result of the AIADMK general council, the party’s highest decision-making body, picking EPS as its interim general secretary, squeezing out OPS.

EPS accused OPS of conspiring with the MK Stalin-le dDMK to storm the party office on July 11 and taking away documents with the help of the state police after the general council meeting. "We had sought protection for party headquarters. Despite our complaint, police did not give protection. Today, the CM and OPS together planned to destroy the AIADMK (office). We strongly condemn this," EPS had said after the violent clashes.

The ruling comes a day after private banks allowed Dindigul Srinivasan, the new treasurer of the AIADMK, to operate party accounts. A day after he was expelled, OPS, the former coordinator and treasurer of the AIADMK, had written to banks requesting them to not allow any transactions without his knowledge. However, on Tuesday, bank officials reportedly verified the attached documents and permitted Srinivasan to handle the party transactions.

(With PTI inputs)

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