Senior leaders of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, including party treasurer M.K. Stalin, on Saturday turned up to welcome party leader and former minister, Veerapandi S. Arumugam, who was released from the central prison here after the Madras High Court set aside his detention under the Goondas Act.
He was detained for nearly four months, after being arrested in several cases.
Besides Mr. Stalin, S. Jagathrakshakan, Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting; Durai Murugan, former minister; R. Gandhi, Vellore district DMK secretary; Kanimozhi, K.P. Ramalingam and Adhisankar, MPs; T.A. Mohammed Saqhy, Vellore district DMK presidium chairman; and P. Karthikeyan, former Vellore mayor, were among those who welcomed Mr. Arumugam.
Talking to reporters, Mr. Stalin said that the High Court order appeared to vindicate the DMK stand that the government had foisted cases on him.
Mr. Arumugam said that he had come out of jail after facing the repressive measures of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam Government bravely.