(UDHAYAM, COLOMBO) – India’s MDMK general secretary Vaiko will remain in prison until the 27th of this month, in connection with a sedition case filed against him in 2009 over comments he made related to Sri Lanka.
Vaiko said he did not opt to go on bail and face the trial as he wanted to expose the betrayal by UPA- DMK Governments of Tamils in Sri Lanka, The Hindu reported.
On July 15, 2009, Tamilar Desiya Munnani president Pazha Nedumaran released the Tamil version of Vaiko’s book, titled ‘I accuse’ – a compilation of letters written by him to the Prime Minister, accusing the Centre of aiding the Sri Lankan government in committing genocide.
Vaiko was said to have criticised the then Union government as well as the State government headed by DMK leader M. Karunanidhi for their alleged failure to prevent a genocide in Sri Lanka.
On December 9 that year, the city police registered a case against him under Sections 124 (A) (Sedition) and 153 (A) (Promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language) of the Indian Penal Code. A year later, the police filed a charge sheet against Mr. Vaiko in the 14th Metropolitan Magistrate Court, Egmore.
On April 3, 2017, the MDMK leader surrendered and expressed unwillingness to file a bail petition. Hence, the court remanded him in judicial custody till April 17. On Monday, amid tight security, he was produced before the court in Allikulam. Magistrate S. Gopinathan forwarded the case to the Principal Sessions Court for trial and extended his remand until April 27.