Tirupparankundram row: BJP’s H. Raja withdraws plea to dispense with submission of original police notice

Madras High Court dismissed as withdrawn a petition filed by BJP leader H. Raja to dispense with the production of original statutory notice issued to him by the Madurai City police in connection with Tirupparankundram row.

The Madras High Court on Friday (March 7, 2025) dismissed as withdrawn a petition filed by BJP leader H. Raja to dispense with the production of the original statutory notice issued to him by the Madurai City police in connection with the Tirupparankundram row.

The petitioner’s counsel chose to withdraw the petition after Justice G.K. Ilanthiraiyan found that no reason had been cited in it for dispensing with the production of the original notice despite the petitioner having received it, under acknowledgement, last month.

Though the counsel orally claimed the petitioner had misplaced the original notice received by him, the judge said, such reason was not mentioned in the petition. Therefore, he advised the counsel to withdraw the plea and file a better petition listing out the reasons.

The issue relates to a First Information Report (FIR) registered against Mr. Raja on February 5, 2025, for a speech delivered by him during a demonstration organised by the Hindu Munnani at Pazhanganatham junction in Madurai city on February 4, 2025, alleging encroachment of the Tirupparankundram hillock.

The FIR was booked for alleged offences under Sections 192 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riots), 196 (promoting enmity between different groups on the ground of religion), and 352 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

Thereafter, the Inspector of Subramaniapuram police station had issued a statutory notice to Mr. Raja under Section 35 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), summoning him for inquiry on February 12, 2025. The notice also directed the petitioner to comply with a list of 10 conditions.

The conditions required the BJP leader not to commit any offence in the future, not to tamper with the evidence in the present case, appear before the court concerned as and when required, and so on. The police had also warned him of arrest if he does not comply with the conditions.