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MDMK men challenge bail plea dismissal

By Our Staff Reporter

CHENNAI SEPT. 15. The eight leaders of the MDMK, in custody for over a year now and facing charges under the Prevention of Terrorism Act, have challenged the dismissal of their bail petition by the special court at Poonamallee, near here.

In their appeal filed in the Madras High Court, the MDMK leaders contended that the prosecution had not produced any material to establish that prima facie they had organised the party anniversary meeting at Tirumangalam, near Madurai, last year only to support the cause of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.

Assailing the September 10 order of the special judge dismissing their bail plea, the petitioners said none of them had directly or indirectly made any inducement, threat or promise to anybody acquainted with the case to dissuade them from deposing before the court.

They faulted the trial court's apprehension that if enlarged on bail, they could tamper with the evidence, and said no material was available before the court to form such an apprehension. "Any apprehension without any basis is not a reasonable one, and as such, no conclusion could be arrived at to deny bail on that basis."

They also said the trial court had erred in holding that the offences alleged against them were ``serious in nature,'' and that they ``would not be available for trial.'' Refusing to grant bail on an apprehension that they would flee justice was not sustainable, and their previous conduct did not suggest anything of that sort, they said.

The petitioners are: Madurai Ganesan, K. Alagusundaram, A. Ganesamoorthy, Veera. Ilavarasan, M. Boominathan, P.S. Maniam, S. Sivanthiappan and K. Nagarajan.

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