Chennai, Aug 20: Eight MDMK party men, arrested in July 2002 along with party general secretary Vaiko under Pota, today moved the designated Pota court for bail, on the ground that investigation in the case was over and charges had been framed against them and hence there was no danger of them tampering with evidence or interfering with the investigation. Designated Pota Judge L Rajendran is likely to hear the applications for bail tomorrow.

The petitioners-- Madurai Ganesan, Alagusundaram, Ganesamoorthy, Veera Ilavarasan, Boominathan, P S Maniam, Sivanthiappan and Nagarajan gave an undertaking that they would not either directly or indirectly make any inducement, threat or promise to any of the witnesses or anyone connected with the case. Stating that the charge levelled against them was not for execution or commission of any terrorist act, they contended that if the speeches by them pertaining to the banned LTTE and organising a meeting at Thirumangalam in Madurai district in June 2002 were interpreted and read in the entire context of the speech and surrounding circumstances, they would not attract Section 21 of the anti-terrorist law.

They contended that more than a year had passed since their arrest on July 9, 2002 and the stringent provision of bail was applicable only for the first year of detention, the rigour of subsection (7) of sec 49 of Pota had been removed and they were now entitled for bail. They were charged under the act for speaking in favour of the LTTE at the public meeting on June 29, 2002.

Bureau Report