CHENNAI: MDMK leader Vaiko on Monday appeared before the Special court in connection with a sedition case filed against him in 2009 during a book launch. After hearing, the special court judge J Shanthi adjourned the case to May 27. The prosecution witness sought permission for the case to be posted after lunch. Vaiko left the court premises within a few minutes.
The Tamil Nadu police in 2009 registered a case under Sections 124-A (sedition) and 153 -A (promoting enmity between different groups) against the MDMK leader for his speech in Raja Annamalai Mandram on October 21, 2008. The topic was ‘Eezhathil Nadapathenna’ (What is happening in Eelam?) where he had warned that India would remain a united single country if the war against banned outfit Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in Sri Lanka was not stopped.
Though the charge-sheet was filed in the case on December 30, 2009, the MDMK leader was not arrested. After the passport authority refused to clear his passport application, Vaiko surrendered before the XIV Metropolitan Magistrate. After the court granted him bail in 2017, the case was transferred from the Egmore Magistrate court to Special court in Chennai Collectorate Complex. While addressing media before leaving the premises, Vaiko said exit polls are not final and urged the public to wait patiently for the next two days.