SC directs Pota panel to take up Gopal case

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday asked the central Pota review committee headed by Justice A B Saharya to decide within four weeks the case against Tamil Nadu journalist R R Gopal who was arrested under the anti-terrorism law by the Jayalalithaa government but granted bail later.
A Bench of Chief Justice R C Lahoti, Justices G P Mathur and A K Mathur while hearing a petition filed by the TN government passed the order and adjourned the case challenging a Madras HC order granting bail to him.
Gopal had alleged harassment by the TN police while the government said it had recovered arms from him. On Gopal''s petition, the apex court had asked the state not to file the chargesheet against him till further orders.
The Pota review committee had on March 31 deferred taking up Gopal''s case on the ground that he was on bail and preference should be given to those cases where the accused persons were in jail.
The apex court Bench, while asking the committee to take up Gopal''s case within four weeks, asked it to communicate the decision to the apex court.
State''s counsel C S Vaidyanathan had challenged the Madras High Court''s February 4 order.