A bail petition by Seeman, film director and leader of the ‘Naam Thamizhar Iyakkam' was dismissed on Friday.
The prosecution case is that Mr. Seeman, who conducted a protest meeting near the Chennai Collectorate on July 10, spoke in support of the LTTE and in a provocative manner to create disharmony among Sinhalese and Tamils. He was arrested and remanded to judicial custody on July 12.
He submitted that his speech would not constitute an offence as alleged by the police and was not intended to provoke unlawful activity.
Dismissing the petition, P. Devadoss, Principal Sessions Judge, Chennai, said Mr. Seeman, in his speech, had referred to Sinhalese students and made an inflammatory speech that had the likelihood of consequences of even causing danger to their lives.
The court had to see the entire material and the speech in totality.
A reading of the petitioner's entire speech showed that it was provocative and inflammatory in nature and would create disharmony and insecurity between two groups on grounds of their race and place of birth. It was in the nature of likelihood of goading the public in general, and his (Seeman) followers in particular, to involve themselves in violence.
Considering all the aspects and the material produced before him and the stage of the case, the Judge said he was not inclined to grant bail.
The Madras High Court ordered notice on a petition by Mr. Seeman, now lodged in Central Prison, Vellore, seeking a direction to authorities for shifting him to ‘A' class block.
He submitted that while passing the order of detention, the magistrate had directed the prison authorities to provide him ‘A' class facility. Though there was a specific direction by the magistrate, he was lodged in solitary confinement.
When the matter came up before a Division Bench, comprising Justices C. Nagappan and P.R. Shivakumar, the Additional Public Prosecutor took notice.
The court adjourned the matter to July 20 for filing of counter.
