Madras HC Asks Subhasri’s Father’s PIL to Be Listed in Banner Case

In his petition, Ravi said that he had requested the TN govt for compensation of Rs 1 crore for Subhasri’s demise.

Subhasri was the only child of her parents.

(Photo Courtesy: The News Minute)

The Madras High Court on Thursday, 10 October, directed Subhasri’s father’s plea seeking a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe to be listed under the main case on illegal banners.

Subhasri’s father, R Ravi, on Wednesday, 9 October, wrote a petition addressed to the high court stating that the foremost reason for his daughter's death is the ‘negligent act of the government officials on duty’ and sought an SIT probe.

The 23-year-old was killed when an illegal hoarding fell on her on 12 September.

Justices Vaidyanathan and Saravanan said that they can't pass any order as the case is already being heard by Justice Sathyanarayanan bench since Subasri's death. The court also observed that decision to keep banners for living persons needs to be re-examined.

The petition filed by Subhasri’s father on Wednesday.(Photo: The Quint)

In a petition filed before the court on Wednesday, Ravi stated that on 24 September, he had requested the government of Tamil Nadu for compensation to the tune of Rs 1 crore for the demise of his daughter.

He also pointed out that he had requested the enactment of a Special Act to ensure maximum punishment to curb the unauthorised or illegal erecting of banners. However, according to his petition, till date, the respondents have not responded to his requests.

On 12 September, 23-year-old Subhasri was driving her scooter down Pallikaranai in Chennai when an illegal hoarding fell on her. She was subsequently thrown on the road, where a water tanker ran over her, killing her.

Action Against Those Responsible

Subhasri’s parents have repeatedly emphasised that their daughter’s death was not an accident and have demanded action against those responsible for the banner's presence on the Thoraipakkam-Pallavaram road.

A Chennai court on 28 September, sent AIADMK leader C Jayagopal, the man behind illegal banners that killed the 23-year-old techie, to 11-day judicial custody. The other accused in the case, Jayagopal’s brother-in-law Meganathan, is still on the run.

Jayagopal, who had erected the flex banner for a family wedding, had earlier been booked under the Section 4 of The Tamil Nadu Open Places (Prevention of Disfigurement) Act, 1959 for installing the hoarding without permission.

The driver of the tanker has been arrested by the St Thomas Mount Traffic Investigation Police and investigation is underway.

However, despite Subhasri’s death, the Madras High Court, on 3 October, said that the Tamil Nadu government can place banners to welcome Prime Minister Narendra Modi ahead of his meeting with the Chinese President in the state.

The court said that the banners must be placed in a manner that doesn’t cause hindrance to the public, reported The News Minute.

Subhasri studied Mechatronics at SRM University, passing out in 2018. She was a young entrepreneur as well, and ran her own skincare venture called ‘Cherbs Herbs’.

(With inputs from PTI, The News Minute)