HC allows MDMK leader to keep passport permanently

Chennai, Dec 3 (UNI) Madras High Court today allowed MDMK General Secretary Vaiko to retain permanently his passport which he surrendered to the POTA Court.

A Division Bench comprising Justices D Murugessan and V Periyakaruppiah also directed Mr Vaiko to take prior permission from the POTA Court before leaving the country.

On his release from Vellore Central Prison on bail in 2004 after his detention under the now-defunct POTA in 2002 for his alleged speech supporting the banned LTTE, Mr Vaiko surrendered his passport to the POTA Court at suburban Poonamallee under the bail conditions As he wanted to go abroad, Mr Vaiko filed a petition in the High Court seeking handing over of the passport.

The court directed the POTA Court to handover his passport to enable him to go abroad.

While handing over the passport, the POTA Court directed him to surrender the passport again by December nine, following which Mr Vaiko approached the High Court with the current plea.

UNI