Seeman, Amir move court in TN seeking bail

Chennai, Oct 28 (UNI) Tamil Film Directors Seeman and Ameer, who were arrested on charges of sedition for speaking in support of the outlawed Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam(LTTE), today moved a court in Ramanathapuram, seeking release on bail.

Magistrate Mayandi, admitting the bail petitions, ordered issue of notice to State ''Q'' branch police, which was dealing with extremists and terrorists and arrested the duo, and posted the case for further hearing on October 31.

The directors, who were arrested on October 24 for their speeches made in the rally taken out by the Tamil Film Industry at Rameswaram on October 19, denied having spoken against India's soverignty and integrity.

In the petitions, they submitted that they had only raised their voice in support of the suffering Tamils in Lanka and urged the Indian Government to prevail upon the Sri Lankan Government to stop the military offensive against the Tamils.

Meanwhile, artistes from the Film Industry, led by veteran director Bharathi Raja, visited Seeman and Ameer at the prison in Madurai.

Talking to newspersons, Mr Raja said their colleagues were happy in the prison. They had no regrets as they were undergoing imprisonment for raising their voice in support of the suffering Tamils in Lanka, the director quoted the duo, having said.

They would come out of the prison when law permits, he said.

Mr Raja was accompanied, among others, by senior actors Sathyaraj, Parthiban and Directors Selvamani, Cheran and Bala.

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