Anti-nuclear activist S P Udayakumar, who is the Aam Aadmi Party’s Kanyakumari constituency candidate for the upcoming Lok Sabha election, has moved the Madras High Court seeking anticipatory bail in a case registered at the height of the protests against the commissioning of the Koodankulam Nuclear Power Plant.
Justice R S Ramanathan, who heard the petition, issued notice to the Koodankulam police and adjourned the case to April 1.
Udayakumar said on February 21, 2012, a constable at the Koodankulam Police Station had filed a complaint against him and 29 others accusing them of illegally gathering 3,550 persons in front of the St Lurdhu Madha Church in Idinthakarai with an intention to commit rioting. Acting on this complaint, cases were registered under Sections 143, 188, 157, 291 of the Indian Penal Code. Later, the Sections were altered to Section 3 (b), (c) 7 of Religious Institution (Prevention of misuse) Act 1988. The Vallioor Judicial Magistrate had also issued non-bailable warrant (NBW) against Udayakumar.
Pleading for bail, his counsel Lajapathy Roy argued that a NBW was issued against the petitioner though he was booked only for allegedly committing non-bailable offences. Going on a fast was not an offence and the petitioner or his supporters had no intention to disturb public tranquility. Hence the counsel pleaded for advanced bail to the petitioner.