BJP functionary and film actor-producer R.K. Suresh moves Madras High Court challenging police summons

BJP functionary R.K. Suresh, who is also an actor-producer, has moved the Madras High Court challenging the summons issued to him by the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) in connection with the investigation into the ₹2,400 crore Arudhra gold trading scam.

BJP functionary R.K. Suresh, who is also an actor-producer, has moved the Madras High Court challenging the summons issued to him by the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) in connection with the investigation into the ₹2,400 crore Arudhra gold trading scam.

Justice G. Chandrasekharan accepted a request made by Government Advocate (criminal side) S. Santhosh to grant him a week’s time to file a reply on behalf of the prosecution, before taking a call on the petitioner’s request to quash the summons, since it does not specify the documents required from him.

Senior counsel V. Raghavachari, representing the petitioner, told the court that his client was neither an accused person, nor a person who had benefitted from the transactions. He said the summons was vague and did not contain any details regarding the details required to be furnished by his client.

The judge, prima facie, concurred with the Senior Counsel and told the Government Advocate that the summons might have to be quashed because it does not specify the documents required from the petitioner and the police could be given liberty to issue fresh summons indicating the specifics.

However, Mr. Santhosh vehemently opposed the plea and requested the court to grant him a weeks’ time to submit a written reply since the case involved ₹2,400 crore of public money that had been collected by Arudhra Gold Trading Private Limited, a firm which had allegedly cheated most of its depositors.

The judge accepted the requested and adjourned the hearing on the petition by a week. When the Senior Counsel insisted on an interim order till then, he said no such order would be necessary and that a final call could be taken on the issue after receipt of the prosecution’s response in writing.