A Venkatesan, an assistant section officer in the Home (P&E) Department, who was caught red-handed while videographing the court proceedings on October 4, prostrated before a division bench comprising Justices K N Basha and N Paul Vasanthakumar on Monday.
During the course of argument on a habeas corpus writ petition challenging the detention of former DMK minister Veerapandi S Arumugam and others on October 4, the official was seen recording the proceedings and his cellphone was seized. On enquiry by the judges, Venkatesan had admitted that he came to the court on his own just to watch the proceedings. He was neither summoned by any government advocate nor was he in any way connected with the case. He also admitted that he did not obtain a pass to enter the High Court premises and the court hall. The bench had called for his reply as to why suo-motu contempt of court proceedings should not be initiated against him. When the matter came up on Monday, Venkatesan prostrated before the judges in the court hall twice, first in the morning and later in the afternoon and offered his apologies.
The Government Pleader told the judges that the government had held that Venkatesan had committed an offence and that charges had been framed against him under Sec. 17-B of the TN Government Servants Conduct Rules. The charges included that Venkatesan had not obtained the permission from the government and that the entry pass from the security personnel manning the High Court. It also held that Venkatesan had unauthorisedly videographed the court proceedings.
The bench said that government servants had been very often entering the High Court premises without any permission.
There were such instances in the past. It should be regulated, the judges said and directed the GP to file an affidavit to regulate the entry of government officials without appropriate permission. The matter will be taken up on Friday.
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