Karunanidhi sacks minister facing abduction charges

Tamil Nadu Handlooms Minister N K K P Raja, facing charges of abduction of a person in connection with a land dispute, was dropped on Thursday from the Ministry by Chief Minister M Karunanidhi.

The handlooms and textiles portfolios being looked after by Raja had been allocated to the Backward Classes Minister K K S S R Ramachandran, a Raj Bhavan press release said.

Raja had been charged with abduction of Sivabalan of Erode district demanding that his family should sell their land to his (minister) supporters.

Sivabalan's family had moved the Madras High Court

with a habeas corpus petition besides the State Human Rights Commission, demanding that the abducted person be produced in the court. However, Sivabalan had denied that he was abducted.

Raja is the second minister to be dropped from the cabinet, the first being Poongothai Aruna, who had allegedly made a telephonic request to the then director of vigilance and anti-corruption to go soft on a corruption case against one of her relatives.

The excerpts of the telephonic conversation appeared in a section of the media and the issue also figured in the state assembly following which she quit.