CHENNAI: Are you not scared of arrest? Justice S Rajamanickam posed this question to film director Bharathiraja, as the latter failed to appear before the lower court and seek advance bail. Only last week the judge had indicted him for not approaching the lower court for advance bail. As per reports in print and electronic media, Bharathiraja had been participating in various functions daily. But he could not find time for moving the lower court, the judge had wondered.
Vadapalani police had registered a case on a complaint from V G Narayanan of Hindu Munnani, who alleged that Bharathiraja had degraded Lord Vinayaka at a public meeting here on January 18 last. He had made the statement in support of poet Vairamuthu in the Andal controversy, the complainant had alleged.
Bharathiraja claimed that the criminal proceedings were initiated against him deliberately as he had been criticising the Central and State governments for failing to constitute the Cauvery Management Board. The complaint was false and baseless. However, apprehending arrest, he had moved the High Court for advance bail, which was granted on May 23.
One of the conditions was that he should appear before Vadapalani police daily for three weeks and thereafter, surrender before the magistrate concerned at Saidapet and seek advance bail. However, Bharathiraja did not do so. As the stipulated time was over, he moved the High Court again with a petition to grant more time to appear before the Saidapet court. The judge posted the matter for Wednesday. When it came up, counsel submitted that his client was ready to pay the fine. Reacting to this, the judge asked counsel whether Bharathiraja was not scared of arrest. The judge wondered why the police did not arrest him. Soon, the council withdrew the petition. The judge dismissed it as withdrawn.
FALSE COMPLAINT
The complaint was false and baseless. However, apprehending arrest, he had moved the High Court for advance bail, which was granted on May 23.