Civic chief-elect held before swearing-In

SALEM: Luck ran out for a panchayat president-elect as he was arrested  just before taking the oath of office at Athanurpatti here on Wednesday.Thirumurugan Pandian, the recently-elected panchayat president of Athanurpatti, who has several cases pending against him, was arrested on Wednesday in connection with a robbery case. After Pandian won the panchayat elections as an Independent, he did not take oath on the day fixed by the Election Commission, as the police were planning to arrest him in connection with several cases registered against him. On November 11, he filed a writ petition with the High Court, which subsequently ordered  the returning officer of the Valapadi Panchayat Union to administer oath to Pandian  at 10.30 am on Wednesday.  The court had also issued an order asking the police not to stop the oath-taking ceremony. Meanwhile, the Karipatti police filed a new case against Pandian based on the complaint of T Kumar, a vegetable vendor. The complaint had reportedly alleged that Pandian had robbed Kumar of `200 at knife-point. However, Kumar had subsequently filed a sworn affidavit stating that Pandian had not robbed him. He also claimed that though the Kariapatti police summoned him to the station 15 days ago, it was in connection with another case. The police, on the other hand, claimed that the robbery case against Pandian was not a false and it was in connection with this case that Pandian was arrested on Wednesday, even as he was about to take oath of office.Pandian was produced at the JM Court-II in the evening. Valapadi DSP Manohar said the police could not arrest Pandian till now as he had not come out in public for his campaign. At present, 11 cases are pending against him in Valapadi.