Vaiko obtains passport from POTA Court

Chennai, Nov 7 (UNI) MDMK General Secretary Vaiko, who was detained for 19 months under the now defunct POTA in 2002 for his alleged support to the banned LTTE, today appeared before the POTA court and obtained his passport to go abroad.

Since his detention, Mr Vaiko had surrendered his passport to the court.

Though trial in the case was stayed by the Supreme Court pending disposal of the appeal filed by him, Mr Vaiko's passport was with the the POTA court at suburban Poonamallee.

Mr Vaiko had filed a petition before POTA Judge Thiagarajan seeking to handover his passport to travel abroad to meet his daughter.

After perusing the petition, the Judge gave him the passport with the condition that he should surrender it back in the court by December 9 this year.

Mr Vaiko was arrested by the previous AIADMK Regime headed by J Jayalalithaa on July 11, 2002 for his support to the banned LTTE and was incarcerated in Vellore prison for about 19 months.

UNI