Madurai, July 04: In what is being described as a crackdown on leaders who make "pro-LTTE statements," police today filed FIR against MDMK leader and MP Vaiko and eight others under POTA and the Unlawful Activities Act, even as the party postponed its meeting to be held at Chennai to discuss its "future strategy."
Action comes close on the heels of Chief Minister Jayalalitha having declared her government's intention to arrest Vaiko for his pro-LTTE utterances at a meeting in Thirumangalam in Madurai district on June 29.
Nadu police told PTI at Madurai that a special team had been formed to nab Vaiko when he returns to India from the US, indicating that they were "serious" on arresting him.
This is the first time that an FIR is being filed in the state under POTA. Police registered a case on a complaint filed by the Thirmungalam town inspector Thangavelu, who said that Vaiko had stated in a meeting on June 29 that he "supported the LTTE yesterday, today and would support it tomorrow." Earlier, a Coimbatore report, quoting MDMK party treasurer and Union Minister M Kannappan, said the MDMK would hold a meeting at Chennai tomorrow to discuss the party's strategy in the wake of the FIR being registered, but later said that it had been postponed. Due to non-availability of Union Minister Gingee Ramachandran and presidium president L Ganeshan, the meeting has been deferred to some other day, Kannappan said. Party sources said Vaiko, on a foreign tour, was cutting short his visit and was expected to reach Chennai by the end of next week. Bureau Report