CHENNAI, July 31: Even as Chief Minister M Karunanidhi today ruled out general amnesty for Veerappan, Nakeeran Editor R R Gopal set out on his second mission tonight to the sandalwood smuggler, armed with an assurance from the two State Governments that Veerappan will not be lodged in a common jail but kept in a separate, secure place if he surrenders.A reluctant Gopal agreed to undertake the second trip within ten days, after the Tamil Nadu and Karnataka Governments came up with fresh guarantees. The two Governments gave an undertaking that Veerappan's life will be protected and that he will not be lodged in the prison, if he surrenders.Instead, he will be kept in a separate, safe place, and that too only for a short period.The Karnataka Government has, in a letter of undertaking to Gopal, also agreed to the editor's demand that all the criminal cases registered in the State against Veerappan will be transferred to Tamil Nadu. Earlier in the day, talking to the Press at the Secretariat in the morning, the Chief Minister made it clear that there is no question of granting general amnesty to Veerappan, which is the brigand's main demand for surrendering before the authorities.``It is not that we don't want to give general amnesty. The law does not provide any scope for general amnesty'', he said and added that even the former bandits of the Chambal Valley Phoolan Devi and Man Singh had surrendered unconditionally and criminal proceedings were initiated against them. Hence, there is no provision for general amnesty in the law of the land.Explaining further the reason for rejecting Veerappan's demand for general amnesty, Karunanidhi said that amnesty cannot be given to a criminal as soon as he is taken in by the authorities.``Amnesty is given only after the court pronounces its judgment and imposes a punishment'', he said. In this context, he pointed out that during the Kamaraj rule, when he and C N Annadurai were ordered to be remanded to custody for a month, for participating in an agitation, the Government ordered their release just when they stepped into the prison.The Chief Minister said that Gopal had also sought protection for his life. The Karnataka and Tamil Nadu police should not follow him when he is bound for Veerappan's hide-out, Gopal had demanded.As for this, Karnataka's additional chief secretary (Home) Muthanna and Tamil Nadu home secretary R Poornalingam have given a written assurance to Gopal that neither the police nor the Forest officials of the two States will enter the forests either in uniform or mufti, in search of Veerappan or to follow Gopal during his mission.Asked if Veerappan will surrender on Independence day, like Man singh had surrendered before Jayaprakash Narayan, the Chief Minister said that he hoped so.Earlier, on July 21, when Gopal met Veerappan as an emissary from the Tamil Nadu Government, Veerappan had warned that the hostages will be killed if the the two Governments failed to agree to his demand for general amnesty within 10 days. Sources close to Gopal, however, said that the editor was not sure whether Veerppan will meet him at all, this time.Last time when Gopal left on his mission, the brigand had put forward a pre-condition that the editor should bring with him a cassette containing the two Governments' assurance on amnesty, sources pointed out.
