MADRAS: The Revenue minister and AIADMK deputy general secretary, S.D.Somasundaram, charged the Intelligence Bureau (IB) of conspiring to dismiss the Jayalaitha government by raising the Jaya LTTE nexus bogey.
In a startling disclosure, he accused the IB of involvement in the escape on April 30 of three LTTE militants.
The minister’s statement said that IB officials had secretly visited the jailed militants and forced them to sign Statements saying that Jayalalitha had made a deal with the LTTE in return for their freedom.
The campaign mounted recently by some opposition leaders al leging that the LTTE had gained the clandestine support of Jayalalitha must be viewed in this context. The Tamil Nadu Congress committee president, Vazhapadi Ramamurthy, the Congress legislature party leader, S.R.Balasubramaniam, and the Janata party leader, Dr.Subramaniam Swamy have in the past few months charged that there was a trade deal between Jayalalitha and the LTTE.
Under this deal, the smuggling of diesel and other commodities was being allowed. In return, it was alleged; the LTTE was assuring the protection of Jayalalitha’s life.
‘The revenue minister also alleged that some Tamil Nadu police officers were colluding with the Center against the state government and had therefore announced the judicial inquiry to expose the conspiracy.
In another development, the state government arrested Gopal, the sub inspector in charge of escorting the militants from Madras Central prison to Pattukotai court. Also arrested were head constable Dilli, constables Ravikumar, Jayaram and Chakravarti (who is being treated for bullet wounds).
The state government has also suspended the deputy commissioner (armed reserve police), B, H.K.Singh, the assistant commissioner (armed reserve police), Kingston Davis, and police inspector, Mr.Purushotiam.
Article extracted from this publication >> May 7, 1993
