Naam Tamilar Katchi leader Seeman and film director Ameer, who are facing trial for sedition charges for allegedly making inflammatory speeches in support of banned Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam while addressing a public meeting in Rameswaram in 2008, denied the charges and termed the case ‘politically motivated’.
The duo, who appeared before the Additional District Court here on Thursday, denied all the charges levelled by Q Branch police when Additional District Judge D. Lingeswaran questioned them based on the statements made by 28 prosecution witnesses.
The witnesses had deposed before the court that Seeman and Ameer spoke against India’s sovereignty and in support of the LTTE while addressing the public meeting organised by the Tamil film industry in Rameswaram on October 19, 2008.
Claiming that the case per se violated their freedom of speech, the duo told the court that they only expressed their views on the problems faced by Sri Lankan Tamils and never spoke against India’s sovereignty or promoted sedition.
When the judge questioned them under Section 313 of the Cr.P.C, they said the case was foisted due to political animosity. For most of the questions, they said “false”, “incorrect” or “do not know”. The judge adjourned the case till August 30 for the defence to produce its witnesses, if any.
M. Somasundaram, who appeared for the accused, said the argument would commence after the defence exhausted the opportunity to present witnesses.
The Q Branch police filed the charge sheet at Rameswaram Magistrate Court in February 2010. The case was committed to Ramanathapuram Sessions Court in January 2012, and the accused have been appearing before the court since 2014 after the case came up for trial.
