HC adjourns MDMK office-bearer's bail plea to tomorrow

Chennai, Oct 5 (UNI) The Madras High Court today adjourned to tomorrow hearing on the bail application filed by MDMK Propaganda Secretary Nanjil Sampath, who was arrested on October 4 in connection with the case registered on a complaint by DMK functionary Vijaya Thayanbhan.

Mr Justice A C Arumughaperumal Adityan, before whom the bail plea of Nanjil Sampath came up for hearing, adjourned it to tomorrow, following a plea by the government advocate to that effect.

Nanjil Sampath submitted that on October 4, he addressed election campaign meetings in some divisions for candidates set up by the Democratic People's Alliance for Chennai Corporation Council. When he was returning after a meeting in Thirumangalam, Anna Nagar, Chennai, he was whisked away by police and taken to MGR Nagar Police Station and then to the residence of IX Metropolitan Magistrate, Saidapet, who remanded him to judicial custody till October 10.

He was given to understand that a case had been registered based on a complaint by Vijaya Thayanbhan. On September 28, he addressed an election meeting in Division No 130 soliciting votes for the success of Meyyappan, an MDMK candidate. Vijaya Thayanbhan made a complaint about his speech. Based on this, the prosecution registered a case under Section 254 (b), 354 and 505 (2) of IPC read with Section 4 of the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Women Harassment Act, he added.

He said the prosecution case was that in his speech, he referred to Vijaya Thayanbhan using objectionable words, to outrage her modesty.

Mr Sampath said he had not committed any criminal offence as alleged. He had only spoken for the success of the candidates set up by the Democratic Peoples Alliance. The election process for local bodies was in progress. This week was for campaigning. Being the Propaganda Secretary, he was required to attend public meetings and he might be enlarged on bail, Nanjil Sampath added.

UNI XR SB GC1857