The Hindu : Front Page : Kushboo enlarged on bail

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Thursday, Nov 17, 2005

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Kushboo enlarged on bail

R. Ilangovan

Judge asks her not to make public statement on the dispute

REPRIEVE: Kushboo at the court of judicial magistrate in Mettur on Wednesday. — Photo: P. Goutham

METTUR: Actress Kushboo spent about two hours in judicial custody in II Judicial Magistrate court here on Wednesday, as angry Dalit Panthers and Pattali Makkal Katchi cadres shouted slogans outside, decrying her reported comments on chastity and status of women in society.

Magistrate M. Sridharan enlarged the actress on bail on the condition that she execute a personal bond for Rs. 5,000 besides a surety for a like sum.

He directed her "not make any public statement, which is the subject matter of this dispute till the disposal [of the case]."

He asked her to appear before the court as and when required.

Ms. Kushboo's brother Abdullah S. Khan stood surety for her.

The actress was summoned at 10.30 a.m. and the judge accepted her surrender petition.

Then her counsel M.K. Arjunan filed a warrant recall petition under Section 70(2) of Code of Criminal Procedure and a bail petition under Section 437 of the Code.

When the Assistant Public Prosecutor said he had no objection to grant of bail, Vaidhyalingam, counsel for petitioner A. Murugan, opposed it.

The judge asked the petitioner's counsel to file a counter-affidavit.

As the situation outside the court premises remained tense with hundreds of DPI and PMK volunteers raising slogans against the actress, the judge sent a court employee to urge the petitioner's counsel to file the counter as soon as possible. It was filed after an hour.

"Not maintainable"

Seeking bail for the actress, Mr. Arjunan submitted that the private complaint, filed against her under Section 505 (1)(b) of IPC, was based on media reports and was not maintainable.

He drew the judge's attention to the fact that the Government had not filed any case against the actress.

Talking to The Hindu immediately after her surrender petition was accepted, the actress said that she would definitely come out of these traumatic experiences shortly. "Of course, why not? I will make it," she said.

The DPI and PMK cadres, who had been raising slogans against Ms. Kushboo all through the court proceedings, threw footwear, rotten eggs and tomatoes at her car when she came out of the court hall.

The police resorted to a mild lathicharge to disperse the crowd. No one was injured.

Plea withdrawn

Our Chennai Special Correspondent reports:

Ms. Kushboo withdrew her anticipatory bail application in the Madras High Court on Wednesday morning.

Justice S. Sardar Zackria Hussain, who had reserved his orders on the matter said he would pass orders on the plea at 2.15 p.m. on Wednesday.

As soon as the court assembled, counsel for the actress mentioned the matter and offered to withdraw the anticipatory bail petition.

The judge acceded to the plea and dismissed the petition as withdrawn.

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