Chennai gangster arrested in Salem

CHENNAI: Days after the encounter death of Kakathoppu Balaji, a special Greater Chennai Police team early on Sunday arrested his friend and history sheeter P Manikandan alias ‘CD' Mani in Salem. Following the arrest of Mani, who is to be brought to Chennai for inquiry, his father wrote to the state govt and the State Human Rights Commision, urging them to ensure his safety.

A police officer said Mani, who has been involved in nearly 30 cases of crime including kidnapping, extortion at gunpoint, murder, and attempt to murder, was detained under the stringent Goondas Act four times. He was last arrested in 2021 in Porur after he fired at members of a police team and jumped off a bridge in an attempt to escape. In 2020, a gang hurled crude bombs at him and his associate Kakkathope Balaji near the Teynampet police station on busy Anna Salai in Chennai while they were travelling in a car. Mani escaped unhurt.

He killed a history sheeter named Venkatesan in 2007 and was involved in a murder in Vadapalani soon after that, the officer said. He was also involved in killing Vazhaithoppu Sathish in 2010, Suresh in 2011, MGR Nagar Karthik, and an AIADMK functionary in 2012. Tracking the tech-savvy ‘CD' Mani proved a challenge for police, as he was aware of the methods used to trace cell phones and avoided using personal mobile phones. Police sources said they typically tracked the mobile phones of his associates to monitor his movements.

Hours after Mani was picked up from his residence in Salem, his father Parthasarathy wrote to director general of police Shankar Jiwal, Chennai police commissioner A Arun and the Chief Minister's Special Cell, claiming that the arrest was made by a special team without providing any explanation. Parthasarathy also mentioned that an online petition had been submitted to the State Human Rights Commission.

Parthasarathy said that his son had been leading a reformed life and had no cases registered against him in the past several years. He emphasized that Manikandan had consistently attended court hearings and had no pending warrants in any court of law. Parthasarathy urged the authorities to ensure his son's safety and requested them to disclose Manikandan's whereabouts and the reasons for his arrest. While the police have yet to provide an official explanation, sources indicated that a few non-bailable warrants might still be pending against him.