A five-member team of the Kolkata Police arrived in Chennai on Wednesday morning to arrest Justice C S Karnan, but the controversial Calcutta High Court judge was not traceable till late in the night.
The team, headed by a DySP, landed in Chennai around 10:30 am, but Karnan, who was staying at the State Guest House in Chepauk, left along with two lawyers early in the morning.
Justice Karnan has not vacated his room and is yet to settle the bill, a guest house employee said. On arrival, the Kolkata Police met officials at the Chennai Police Commissioner’s Office and proceeded to the guest house. On hearing that the judge had left for Srikalahasti, about 120 km from here, the team rushed to the temple town in Andhra Pradesh.
They, however, returned empty-handed in the evening. On Tuesday, the Supreme Court had ordered the Director General of Police of West Bengal to forthwith arrest Justice Karnan for contempt of court.
It was immediately not known whether the team would also go to Karnan’s native of Virudhachalam in Cuddalore district, about 220 km from here. There were rumours that the judge has left for his home town. “Our search will continue till we find him (Justice Karnan),” a senior police officer said.
Tension prevailed for a while when a group of lawyers protested outside the guest house, alleging that Justice Karnan was being victimised.
Published 10 May 2017, 20:30 IST