CHENNAI / MADURAI: Popular filmmaker and Nam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) chief coordinator Sebastian Seeman, arrested in the Melur toll gate attack case on Saturday was granted bail later in the day by a Madurai court.
The pro-Tamil politician was arrested by a police team from Melur at his Alapakkam residence in the morning amidst protest by his supporters.
However, the arrest turned out to be a tame affair with Seeman cooperating with the cops. When the police team made it clear that they have come to arrest him, he just sought 10 minutes time to get ready.
While being taken out, he refuted the charges against him and the party cadre. “We were returning after a rally. At the toll gate, the cadre had agreed to pay toll. But, a person sitting inside the cabin made provocative remarks which was objected to by them. On getting down from my vehicle, I could hear the obscene words used by the staff,” he narrated the event. “When I intervened, he pulled out a furniture and attacked the cadres. I also sustained minor injuries. However, I did not want to politicise the issue. Hence, I brokered peace and left the toll gate”, he said.
“If we have to listen to such snide remarks, imagine how it would be for the common people who use these toll gates”, was his response to a question.
“Let’s hope this incident creates awareness among this generation as to why they should not be taxed twice with toll when the project itself was funded by the government with the taxpayers’ money”, he rued.
Later in the evening, Seeman was produced before Judicial Magistrate II, Pal Pandi, who granted bail on executing a bond of Rs 10,000 and directed him to appear before the concerned police as and when required.
According to police Seeman, after addressing a rally on the Supreme Court ban on Jallikattu on Friday evening at Karaikudi, was returning to Chennai by road along with his supporters. At Kathapatti tollgate near Melur the troupe had a verbal duel with the personnel while paying the fee. In the altercation that followed Amit Kumar, a toll gate employee, was allegedly attacked by the filmmaker’s supporters, police said.
Police sources maintained that the incident has been captured by the CCTV camera fixed in the toll gate premises.
On a complaint from Amit Kumar, the Melur police registered a case against Seeman and six others under four sections of IPC (147, 294 (b), 323, and 506 (i).