Chennai, Sept 10: A designated Pota court today denied bail to eight MDMK partymen charged under the anti-terrorist law along with MDMK general secretary Vaiko for speaking in favour of the banned LTTE at a public meeting last year. Dismissing their bail applications, the designated judge L Rajendran accepted the prosecution argument that they were likely to tamper with evidence if released on bail.
Besides, the judge, while referring to detenues' prayer for bail on the ground that they were under arrest for over a year, said prolonged detention alone was not a ground for granting bail. Vaiko had not applied for bail as he has challenged the very validity of section 21 of Pota in the Supreme Court.
While Vaiko was arrested on July 11 last year, the others -- Madurai Ganesan, Alagu Sundaram, Ganesamurthy, Veera Ilavarasan, Bhoominathan, Pulavar Sivanthiappan, P S Maniam and Nagarajan-- were taken into custody on July 9, 2002.
Manian, who is indisposed, was the only accused not present in the high security court at suburban Poonamallee. They were booked under Pota for speaking in favour the banned Sri Lankan rebel outfit, LTTE, at a public meeting at Tirumangalam in Madurai district on June 29 last year.
Meanwhile, trial against the accused continued in the court today with tirumangalam police station inspector N Thangavel being cross examined by defence counsel for the third day. Bureau Report