The Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court said on Monday that May 17 Movement coordinator Thirumurugangandhi could not be remanded under the provisions of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act.
Recently, Mr. Thirumurugangandhi was arrested by the city police in Bengaluru after he returned to the country after flagging the Thoothukudi firing incident at the United Nations Human Rights Council.
He was also actively campaigning against the eight-lane Chennai-Salem green corridor project. The police have booked several cases against him for conducting agitations, processions and candle light vigils on the Marina beach in violation of regulatory orders.
In one of the cases which was registered in 2014, the police produced him before the court for remanding him under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act. The case related to his speech expressing solidarity with the Palestinian struggle and supporting Tamil Ealam. His advocate opposed his remand under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act. After hearing his arguments, the court passed an order ruling that there was no element in his speech which attracted the provisions of the Act.
