CHENNAI: Extending the validity of its earlier interim order, the Madras High Court has directed the police not to arrest A R Murugadoss, director of Tamil feature film Sarkar starring Vijay, till December 20.
Justice G K Ilanthiraiyan extended the time while passing further interim orders on the anticipatory bail application from Murugadoss, on Thursday. Earlier, Devarajan of Sembium had lodged a complaint to arrest Murugadoss under the National security Act (NSA) for criticising the welfare schemes of the State by including scenes which burnt the freebies of the government. This had created law and order problem in the State, he alleged.
Fearing arrest, Murugadoss preferred the advance bail application. When the matter came up on November 9, Murugadoss tendered an unconditional apology. His counsel told the court that the objectionable scenes had been removed. Granting temporary relief, the judge had orally directed the police not to arrest him till November 27.
When the matter came up November 27, State Public Prosecutor A Natarajan insisted the judge to obtain a written unconditional apology and an undertaking that he would not depict such scenes criticising the government welfare schemes in the future.
The matter was adjourned by a day. The next day, Murugadoss refused to give any such undertaking and the judge permitted the police to proceed with its probe, but restrained it from making any arrest till December 13.
When the case came up Thursday the government counsel pleaded the judge to adjourn the matter to some other date, so that the PP Natarajan can argue the matter. And the judge posted the case to December 20 till
which time the police should not arrest Murugadoss.