CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Monday granted bail to GV Markandayan, a DMK MLA from Vilathikulam in the Thoothukudi district, with conditions in the case of alleged derogatory and intimidatory comments against the CM C Joseph Vijay.
Justice GK Ilanthiraiyan granted the relief while allowing a petition filed by the MLA, who has been incarcerated since July 20, with the conditions that he shall make an undertaking before the judicial magistrate concerned that he will not indulge in the act in the future and report before the respondent police - district crime branch (DCB), Thoothukudi - daily for two weeks. However, the judge exempted the MLA from reporting before the police during the upcoming Assembly session.
The bail was granted on a regular bail petition filed by him after his plea for the relief was dismissed by the principal sessions and district judge, Thoothukudi, on Thursday.
Earlier, Markandayan had filed a petition seeking to quash the remand order issued by the judicial magistrate court remanding him in judicial custody. He had also prayed for enlarging him on bail. The court had reserved its orders on this petition. In the meantime, the regular bail petition was filed.
Senior counsel P Wilson, appearing for the MLA, submitted it was only a speech delivered at a public meeting and was not intentional. He also said the speech was protected under Article 19 (1) (a) of the Constitution, right to freedom of speech.