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Charges against Maran, Baalu dropped

The Tamil Nadu police have formally dropped charges against Union ministers Murasoli Maran and T R Baalu.

A day earlier, the TN police had moved the 18th Metropolitan Magistrate and secured an order for the release of the two ministers. However, neither Maran nor Baalu would accept the release order, arguing that as long as the cases stood against their name, they would not quit jail.

Baalu further argued that as a Union minister, he was in no position to furnish the police with the undertaking they sought, that he would make himself available whenever required. "As long as I am accused of some crime, I will remain in jail until the case is resolved," the Union minister argued.

TN Chief Minister Jayalalithaa Jayaram and senior members of her administration have, since this morning, been engaged in frantic consultations with legal experts in a bid to find a way out of the impasse.

It was pointed out to the TN chief minister that there was the distinct possibility that both ministers could approach the Supreme Court and file a case alleging illegal detention.

The TN government was pushed further into a corner by the aggressive stance adopted by the Centre. Over the last couple of days, various Cabinet ministers have publicly argued a case for cracking the whip, and using Article 355 of the Constitution to issue stern directives to the state government.

Simultaneously, senior leaders of the ruling National Democratic Alliance have openly called for the dismissal of the state government and imposition of President's rule under Article 356 of the Constitution.

The postponement of a Cabinet meeting scheduled for 1830 hours on Monday evening, in order to allow Union Home Minister L K Advani to attend, and Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's action in ordering Attorney General Soli Sorabjee to cut short his official trip to London and return to New Delhi in order to attend the rescheduled Cabinet meeting this evening, signalled that the Centre was in fact contemplating harsh measures against the Jayalalithaa government.

Left with no option, the TN government backed down and ordered the release of the two ministers.

In what appears to be a face-saving act, a media statement announcing the release of the two ministers and the dropping of charges against them states that this is being done on the basis of an informal request from Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

Further, the statement adds a line to the effect that the interests of the Tamil Nadu police would be protected -- an obvious attempt to keep up the morale of the police force, given reports emanating from the Centre that those involved in the arrest could be summarily dismissed under the provisions of Article 355 of the Constitution.

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