HC quashes case against PFI members

CHENNAI: The Madras high court has quashed cases of rioting, attempt to murder and unlawful assembly against 1,019 people, all members of Popular Front of India (PFI), when they attempted to take out a rally in Ramanathapuram in February this year.
The PFI had been permitted to take out a unity march at Chinnakadai. Members of the organization had an altercation with police after the rally.Police registered cases against 19 PFI activists, who were named, and 1,000 unknown people.
Justice G M Akbar Ali, allowing the petition filed by 19 people named in the cases, said it would be a farce to slap unlawful assembly charges on the petitioners after having allowed the rally.
Holding that no useful purpose would be served in probing the FIR against 1,000 unnamed persons and the 19 others, the judge quashed the entire case.