The Central Crime Branch (CCB) of the Chennai police on Thursday arrested May 17 Movement co-ordinator Thirumurugan Gandhi at the Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru on charges of sedition.
He has been actively campaigning against the eight-lane Chennai-Salem green corridor project and the police firing in Thoothukudi, following protests against the Sterlite Copper plant.
The city police have registered 22 cases against him for having conducted agitations, processions and candle light vigil protests on the Marina beach in violation of prohibitory orders. According to sources, he flagged the Thoothukudi firing at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHCR) session held in Geneva a few days ago. He was returning to the country after attending the council meeting.
According to police sources, a case has been registered by the Cyber Crime Cell of the CCB against him under Section 124 A (sedition), 153 A (1) and 153 (b) of the IPC. The Chennai police may bring him and produce him before a magistrate court for remand.
