Chennai, Jan 27 The Madras High Court has voiced serious concerns about security lapses within its premises after the Additional Advocate General (AAG), P. Kumaresan, presented a status report on allegations that country-made bombs were brought into the court and handed to accused individuals involved in the murder of State Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) President, K. Armstrong.
The AAG submitted CCTV footage showing individuals carrying bombs concealed in lunch bags.
Six advocates implicated in the incident have been suspended by the Bar Council.
A division bench comprising Justices S.M. Subramaniam and N. Jothiraman was hearing a batch of petitions seeking to quash the invocation of the Goonda Act against the accused in Armstrong's murder case.
During the proceedings, the bench expressed concern over the potential consequences of the incident.
Justice Subramaniam remarked, "What if the bombs had exploded in the court? How many lives would we have lost? What if the blast damaged the statue of B.R. Ambedkar?"
The court invited opinions from stakeholders, including advocate associations, the police, and the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), to strengthen security measures on the court campus.
It also advised advocates to cooperate with security checks, emphasising the need for sensitivity and vigilance.
The counsel for the petitioners, however, objected to the allegations, arguing that the investigation had not provided concrete evidence to substantiate the claims.
The bench scheduled the matter for further deliberation on January 29 to develop a comprehensive security solution.
K. Armstrong, a lawyer, and State BSP President, was brutally murdered on July 5, 2024, in front of his under-construction house in Perambur near Chennai.
An eight-member gang, led by Ponnai Balu -- the brother of slain gangster Arcot Suresh -- surrendered the same evening, confessing that the murder was in retaliation for Suresh's killing, which they claimed Armstrong had orchestrated.
Investigations by a special team formed by Chennai Police Commissioner M. Arun revealed that three gangs had conspired to plan the murder.
Armstrong was ultimately hacked to death by Balu and his associates.
Further inquiries revealed that gangster Nagendran, who has been in prison for 26 years, and another gangster, Sambhav Senthil, financed and orchestrated the murder.
Nagendran reportedly harboured a grudge against Armstrong, blaming him for stalling his son Ashwathaman's political career.
Ashwathaman, a lawyer and state office-bearer of the Tamil Nadu Youth Congress, has since been expelled from the party.
Sambhav Senthil allegedly had disputes with Armstrong over real estate dealings.
Twenty-seven individuals have been arrested in connection with the murder of the State BSP President.
Among them, 23 -- including Ponnai Balu and Ashwathaman -- are in Puzhal Central Prison. However, Sambhav Senthil and two associates, Krishna Kumar and Appu, are absconding.
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