In a shocking development the Supreme Court on 13 November dismissed the special leave petitions filed by two Pricol workers Manivannan and Ramamurthy.
This is a case where the Madras High Court has held that the case is fabricated and that the timing of FIR is false; that the initial information was suppressed; and, the charge sheet in this case is flawed. The High Court had criticized the investigation officer for not producing the CCTV recordings of the occurrence which could have brought out the truth.
On the same day, the Supreme Court in a SLP (appeal) filed by the Pricol management through its HR official has issued notice to 6 of the comrades acquitted by the Madras High Court and one more comrade acquitted by the sessions’ court and high court. Objectively, the effect of this judgment is a boost to the neo-liberal agenda and the corporates.
The AICCTU has called upon all left, democratic and fighting trade unions to extend their fighting solidarity to the Pricol workers in their battle for justice. The Indian working class movement will march on in spite of the Maruti, Graziano and Pricol verdicts.
Instead of being cowed down, these verdicts will only strengthen the resolve of the working class to fight back against the corporate neo-liberal fascist agenda of the ruling classes.
