FIRs against Sasikala, Palanisamy on charges of abduction

Chennai: The police on Wednesday registered FIRs against AIADMK General Secretary V.K. Sasikala and legislature party leader Edapadi K. Palanisamy after a party legislator accused them of abduction. The party has denied the claim.

S.S. Saravanan, a legislator from Madurai South constituency, filed an abduction complaint against Sasikala and Public Works Minister Palanisamy, who was elected leader of the AIADMK legislature wing in place of Sasikala.

Saravanan landed up at acting Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam's residence here on Monday and told the media that he scaled a wall at the resort in Koovathur, 90 km from here, and jumped down to escape.

He said he had to disguise himself to get away from the resort where he alleged he was held against his wishes.

After Saravanan's complaint, hundreds of police personnel on Wednesday reached the resort, where a large number of AIADMK MLAs supporting Sasikala are housed.

"Saravanan's complaint is totally false. He himself had told police a couple of days back that he is staying at the resort on his own will. The police had come here to enquire and submit a report to the Madras High Court," Inbadurai, AIADMK lawmaker, told reporters.

While the media is not allowed inside the resort, legislators come out in turns and parrot the standard statement.

The legislators at the resort have switched off their phone lines and some do not answer the calls or cut the call if it is from the media.

Saravanan too has switched off his phone and attempts by IANS to reach him went in vain.

Sasikala supporters insist that the MLAs backing her faction against Panneerselvam are at the resort on their free will.

Many of the legislators made the same point to the media on Wednesday.

One of the legislators, Thenarasu, told the media that the legislators would vacate the resort once the Tamil Nadu Governor invited their leader to form a government.

He said the legislators could also vacate the resort if Palanisamy told them to do so.

Thenarasu said the police made some enquiries and left. But others at the site said they were still massed outside the complex.

Sasikala, who remains the AIADMK General Secretary, earlier left for Bengaluru by road to surrender, a day after the Supreme Court upheld her conviction for corruption.

Also held guilty were the late Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa and two of Sasikala's relatives.