Karunanidhi Arrested

Amidst high drama, DMK chief and former chief M Karunanidhi was was woken upby police at 1.45 am at his residence, roughed up and arrested in connectionwith the Rs 12 crore 'flyover scam' and has been remanded to judicial custodytill July 10.

When Karunanidhi complained of giddiness, the Judge directed that he may beexamined by a panel of doctors at the Government General Hospital in presence ofDMK chief's personal physician, Dr Gopal.

If Karunanidhi was found fit, then only, he should be lodged in the centralprison, the judge directed. After doctors certified that he was fit enough to bein the prison, he was lodged in the central prison in Chennai.

Opposition councilors of Chennai corporation, where DMK is in power, hadrecently submitted a memorandum to the governor alleging irregularities inawarding contracts for the construction of 10 flyovers in the city, on the basisof which Karunanidhi was arrested.

The judge has posted the hearing on Karunanidhi's bail petition to July 3.

The First Information Report (FIR), based on a complaint lodged byCorporation Commissioner J C T Acharyalu, was filed only yesterday, according topolice sources.

Former Chief Secretary K M Nambiar and two others, who were also arrested inconnection with the scam, were also remanded by the Judge to judicial custodytill July 10.

Union Minister and nephew of Karunanidhi, Murasoli Maran, who was injured inthe scuffle was admitted to Apollo hospital here. Another Union Minister T RBaalu also sustained minor injuries.

Karunanidhi and others have been charged under various sections of Preventionof Corruption Act.

According to the police, Karunanidhi's son and city Mayor, M K Stalin, who isthe prime accused in the case, was earlier said to be absconding, has also beenarrested now.

Others arrested and remanded included R S Sridhar, chairman of standingfinance committee of the Chennai Muncipal corporation, and N S Srinivasan, anengineer.

High Drama

Karunanidhi was physically lifted by the police and hewas screaming that police was attempting to kill him. He was dragged down the stairs of his house. As heprotested against the arrest, one of the police officers pushed him down, DMKsources alleged.

The clippings of Karunandihi's arrest, telecast by SUNTV in its special news bulletin this morning, also showed the police manhandlingMurasoli Maran, Union Minister for Commerce and Industry and nephew ofKarunanidhi, who came to the rescue of Karunanidhi.

Karunanidhi was later taken to a police station forinterrogation in connection with the alleged 'scam' on the construction of tenflyovers in Chennai city.

The DMK leader’s son and the mayor of Chennai, M K Stalin, has beenarrested. The state's former chief secretary K M Nambiar and six other peoplehave also been arrested.

Karunanidhi was being taken to the residence of ametropolitan Magistrate for remand, police sources said.

Maran, along with the family members of Karunanidhi,was later taken to the police station where Karunanidhi was lodged.

Police, however, could not say the reasons for taking him into custodyimmediately, when the reports first came in.

The sources had initially had refused to disclose where Karunanidhi and othershave been detained.

No Summons Or Charges

'There was no summons and charges against me. I was  asleep when police woke me up and informed that I was underarrest', Karunanidhi earlier said.

"The police came when I was asleep. We asked them if they had anywarrant but they said that in a criminal case no warrant was needed. Theybehaved very badly with me. They pulled my towel and my shirt and I almost felldown the stairs," said Mr Karunanidhi.

The DMK leader’s son and the mayor of Chennai, M K Stalin, has been arrested.The state's former chief secretary K M Nambiar and six other people have alsobeen arrested.

The Police also took Union Commerce and Industry MinisterMurasoli Maran to the Vepary Police station, where Karunanidhi was kept. 

When Maran refused to leave his house for the station, police physically lifted him and put him in a car to thepolice station, DMK sources alleged. It was not immediately known whether Maran was also taken
into custody.

The family members of the 77-year-old Karunanidhi, including his wife Dayalu and daughterSelvi, were also taken to the police station, DMK sources said.

Trying Time For Media

When Karunanidhi was taken for interrogation to Rajaji Hall where the CB-CIDoffice is located, nearly 20
mediapersons, who went there to cover the arrest, were taken into custody. Theywere kept at the city's Vepary police  station for some time before beingreleased. 

Media persons were also kept away when the former Chief Minister was taken tothe state Guest House from Rajaji hall for questioning. Media were also deniedentry into the residence complex of Principal Sessions Judge.