MDMK leader Vaiko, who voluntarily surrendered before a Metropolitan Magistrate in connection with a sedition case and refused to go out on bail by executing a bond of ₹1,000 on April 3, has now approached the Principal Sessions Court, seeking to enlarge him on bail after 51 days of judicial custody.
The issue pertains to a case registered by the city police against Mr. Vaiko under sections 124(A) (sedition) and 153(A) (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language) of the IPC for his alleged speech in a book release function at Rani Seethai Hall, Chennai, on July 15, 2009.
Though the charge-sheet was filed in the case on December 30, 2009, Mr. Vaiko was not arrested. Since the passport authority refused to clear Mr. Vaiko’s passport application citing the pending criminal case, the MDMK leader surrendered before the XIV Metropolitan Magistrate.
On April 3, the Magistrate accepted his surrender and offered him bail on execution of a bond for ₹1,000. But as Mr. Vaiko refused to do so, the Magistrate remanded him in judicial custody till June 2.
Now, claiming that he has not committed any offence punishable under any law of the land, and particularly under sections 124 A and 153 (A) of the IPC, Mr. Vaiko has approached the Principal Sessions Court, Chennai, seeking bail.
In his bail application, Mr. Vaiko has undertaken that if he is enlarged on bail, he would not directly or indirectly make any inducement, threat or promise to any person acquainted with the facts of the case so as to dissuade the person from disclosing such facts to the investigating officer.
The Principal Sessions Court is likely to take up the bail petition for hearing this week.
