CHENNAI: Madras High Court on Thursday granted conditional bail to Zakir Hussain of Coimbatore, who was arrested for posting messages in social media against installation of solar panels and against minister S P Velumani. Justice N Seshasayee granted the relief following an undertaking given by Hussain that he would tender a fresh apology in an audio clip and circulate the same in social media.
Hussain had made allegations against a scheme of Coimbatore Corporation to install solar plants. He also spoke ill about minister S P Velumani, who inaugurated it in Coimbatore, in a voice message and circulated it in Facebook and WhatsApp. He was arrested and he filed a bail application.
When the application came up for hearing last week, State Public Prosecutor A Natarajan had told the judge that persons spreading falsehoods through social media about scientific innovations should not be dealt with lightly. They should be taken to task, he said. The judge had told the bail applicant to circulate in WhatsApp and Facebook a text carrying his inadequate knowledge relating to solar plants and tender a fresh unconditional apology for circulating the false message. Then only his plea for bail will be considered, the judge had said.