Tamil writer Durai Guna, who was arrested by Karambakudi police and remanded in 15 days judicial custody in an assault case that was allegedly fabricated by the police, was granted bail on Thursday. However, he will remain in jail since he has been detained in another case.
Mr. Guna, a Dalit who had previously faced a social boycott for writing a novella highlighting the plight of the Scheduled Caste, was arrested along with his friend, Bhoopathy Karthikeyan, on June 10 on the charge of having assaulted T. Sivanandam. The Karambakudi police registered a case under Sec. 341, 294 (b), 323, 324 and 506 (2) against Mr. Guna and Mr. Karthikeyan.
Curiously, Mr. Sivanandam has alleged that the police had forced him to give a complaint. He also filed a habeas corpus petition in the Madras High Court (Madurai Bench) seeking the production of Mr Guna and to set him at liberty.
The Judicial Magistrate, Alangudi, P.Kalainila, granted bail to Mr. Guna and Mr. Karthikeyan on the condition that they should appear at the Alangudi court and sign on Fridays for one month.
However, Mr. Guna and Mr. Karthikeyan could not be released immediately as they had been remanded in judicial custody in another case, also registered by the Karambakudi police in July 2015. The case had been filed on the basis of a complaint preferred by Marimuthu against Mr. Guna and five others including Mr. Karthikeyan alleging he was assaulted by the accused. Hearing on the case has been posted for Friday.
Meanwhile, ‘Evidence’, a Madurai-based non-governmental organisation, has planned to file a case against the police personnel of Karambakudi for foisting cases against Mr.Guna and other Dalits, according to its Director A. Kadir. A team of representatives of ‘Evidence’ visited Karambakudi and enquired with the villagers. “Apart from the case against Mr. Guna, the Karambakudi police have foisted cases due to which at least 12 Dalits have been affected,” he alleged.
