AFFIDAVIT OF THE PETITIONER I, S. Ve. Shekher, mhc

MEMORANDUM OF CRIMINAL ORIGINAL PETITION

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS
(Criminal Original Jurisdiction)

Crl. OP. No : 12839 OF 2020
Against
Crime No. 260 of 2020
(On the file of the Central Crime Branch, Chennai)

S. VE. SHEKHER
. . PETITIONER/ACCUSED
Vs.
The Inspector of Police
Central Crime Branch,
No.132, Commissioner Office Building
E V K Sampath Road, Vepery
Periamet, Chennai – 600 007.
. . RESPONDENT/COMPLAINANT
AFFIDAVIT OF THE PETITIONER

I, S. Ve. Shekher, son of Late. Shri. S.V. Venkataraman, Hindu, aged about 70 years and residing at No. 29, 5th Trust Cross Street, Mandavelipakkam, Chennai – 600 028,do hereby solemnly affirm and sincerely state as follows.

1. I submit that my educational qualification is Diploma in Mechanical Engineering. I started my career as Still Photographer and Radio Programme Producer.

2. I submit that while I was studying in P.S High School at Mylapore, The grandson of Mahatma Gandhi visited our school and he had spoken about his grandfather’s wish and statement regarding the Indian National Flag and the colours that adorn the Indian National Flag. He had stated that Mahatma Gandhi wanted the colours in the Indian National Flag to represent as a symbol of unity amongst all the religions in India and that people belonging to all religions shall always stand united in the interest of this great nation.

3. I submit that apart from pursuing my career in media and Films, I am also carrying on Philanthropic Activities through a Trust established by me. Through my Trust, I performed obsequies and burial of more than 800 orphaned and unclaimed dead bodies so far which are left in the Government Hospital Mortuaries. I further donate, books, note books and Computers to more than 25 economically backward college graduates every year. Further I also fund for 200 free Cataract Operations.

4. I submit that I have personally donated blood 53 times so far. I was the 1st person in the Country to produce awareness videos for Blood Donation, Eye Donation and about Juvenile diabetes and have also received an award for the same. I further submit that my name features in the Limca Book of Records 3 times for the achievements that they have recognised as being unique.
5. I submit that I was also the elected representative of the People in the Legislative Assembly of the State of Tamil Nadu representing the Mylapore Legislative Constituency for the years 2006 to 2011. I won many accolades amongst the General Public as well as the then Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Late. Miss. J. Jayalalitha for his tireless work as an M.L.A and also special mention about me, for clearing the underground channels leading to the Mylapore Kabaleeswarar Temple Tank and the Chithirakulam Tank in Mylapore. This had later averted the entire Mylapore and other nearby Zones from being flooded during the heavy cloud burst and rains in the year 2015, leading the entire rain water to fill up the Tanks, through the cleaned up and cleared underground channels.

6. I submit that I attend many school functions and while doing so, I always address the school students about the honour of the Indian National Flag and also advice and encourage them to wear our Indian National Flag as part of their attire with pride and honour for the Indian National Flag.

7. I submit that personally I wear the Indian National Flag in my chest everyday for more than 20 years and I have not swayed away from that habit and culture, since I respect and honour the Indian National Flag more than my parents.

8. I submit that I address public gatherings with persons of all religious faiths on the dais along with me and I have always spoken that people of all religious faiths should always stand united as Indians and that we should never feel separated by the religious faith that we follow or our caste or creed.

9. I submit that while the facts being thus, in my speech which has become the core issue of the Complaint lodged against me in F.I.R. No. 260/2020, I had only raised certain queries to the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu as to why he felt that the act of some unknown person adorning the statue of Late. Shri. M.G. Ramachandran, the Hon’ble Past Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, with a saffron coloured towel, as being highly condemnable and defamatory.

10. I submit that in the said speech I have also stated that when the Colour Saffron finds a place in our Indian National Flag along with the White and Green Colours, why is it that a Saffron Coloured Towel was seen as defamatory by him.

11. I submit that even since my birth till today, as I am 70 years old now, I have neither uttered any word nor acted in manner or even dreamt of causing even a minor slur much less an insult to our Honourable Indian National Flag.

12. I submit, undertake and assure to this Hon’ble Court that for the rest of my lifetime also, I would never utter any word or act in any manner which would cause an insult to our Honourable Indian National Flag, since I value patriotism for our Mother Land and Honour to our Indian National Flag much more than anything material or even more than my parents or any of the near and dear ones to me.

13. I submit that I raised those questions in my speech to the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, only with the firm belief that Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of our Nation has in his own words documented the importance of the colours in the Indian National Flag that people of all religious faiths shall always stand united and the same is represented as colours in the Indian National Flag which are inseparable and that there shall be no separation amongst the people of this great Nation on the basis of their religious faiths.

14. I submit that I am definitely remorseful of having raised those questions to the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, since I feel that any statement that he makes would be from his perspective and he is the best judge of his own statements.

I therefore most respectfully and humbly pray that this Hon’ble Court may be pleased to take all of my above submissions on record and enlarge me on Anticipatory Bail, in the event of my arrest by the Respondent Police, in the above Crime No. 260/2020, and to pass such further and other orders as this Hon’ble Court may deem fit and proper in the facts and circumstances of the case.

Solemnly affirmed at Chennai
on this the 31st day of August, 2020
and signed his name in my presence .

BEFORE ME

ADVOCATE CHENNAI

MEMORANDUM OF CRIMINAL ORIGINAL PETITION
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS
(Criminal Original Jurisdiction)

Crl. OP. No : 12839 OF 2020
Against
Crime No. 260 of 2020
(On the file of the Central Crime Branch, Chennai)

S. VE. SHEKHER
. . PETITIONER/ACCUSED
Vs.
The Commissioner of Police
Chennai – 600 007 & another.
. . RESPONDENT/COMPLAINANT

AFFIDAVIT OF S.VE.SHEKHER

M/s. VENKATESH MAHADEVAN 246/1992
DHAKSHAYINI VENKATESH 1039/1994
S.R. RANJITHA 2171/2017
M. SUNIL ZAHARIAH 4428/2018
R. PREETHI 4632/2018

Mobile No. 95000 89760
E Mail : dvm@dvmlaw.in

COUNSEL FOR PETITIONER/ACCUSED