The party headquarters was closed and sealed that day after clashes between two groups.
Chennai:
The opposition AIADMK headquarters here – “MGR Maaligai” – was reopened on Thursday, 10 days after it was sealed by tax authorities after violence erupted between supporters of then-rival leaders K Palaniswami and O Panneerselvam.
Broken furniture, damaged computers and looted office spaces with documents scattered everywhere greeted former Justice Minister C Ve Shanmugam and AIADMK manager V Mahalingam who entered the party office. Sources said some silver items donated to the late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa were found missing.
Mr. Shanmugam took the media to the party headquarters and showed the stones, which were hurled during the violent clash on 11 July, still lying around, broken furniture and damaged computers.
Tax officials removed the seal in the presence of police personnel and senior party leaders for allegiance to Palaniswami, the interim secretary general of the AIADMK.
The office was unlocked following the order of the Madras High Court on Wednesday, overturning the order of the Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO) that sealed the AIADMK headquarters on July 11.
The party headquarters was closed and sealed that day after clashes between two groups of the AIADMK over allegiance to Palaniswami and the ousted leader Panneerselvam.
Amid a series of developments that day, the party’s General Council, the highest decision-making body, elected Palaniswami as the new interim general secretary who abolished the dual leadership system and ousted Panneerselvam.
The RDO, invoking the powers under Article 145 of CrPC amid clashes between the two groups, sealed off the party’s headquarters.
On Wednesday, Judge Satish Kumar approved an injunction allowing the plea of Palaniswami, also a former Chief Minister, to challenge the lockdown and sealing of the party headquarters and instruct the RDO to hand over the keys to the latter.
The judge also ordered the Royapettah police to provide adequate protection to the office at Avvai Shanmugam Salai 24 hours a day. No party cadres are allowed to enter the office for a month to prevent an untoward incident, the judge added.
In accordance with the court order, party cadres did not visit headquarters today.
The tax officials under Mylapore Tahsildar removed the seal and lock at the entrance gates and two other places in the headquarters in the presence of police and senior leaders, former minister C Ve Shanmugam and V Mahalingam. They handed the keys to the party leader.
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