Chennai, 28 July (H.S.):The Madras High Court is set to continue hearing the bail petition of Vilathikulam DMK MLA G.V. Markandayan on Tuesday in a case relating to his alleged remarks against Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay during a public meeting in Thoothukudi district.

Markandayan was arrested after the Thoothukudi District Crime Branch registered a case accusing him of threatening the Chief Minister through a speech delivered at a thanksgiving meeting for voters in Kovilpatti following the recent Assembly election. Investigators alleged that his remarks had the potential to disturb public order.

After the Thoothukudi District Court dismissed his bail application, the legislator approached the Madras High Court seeking relief. The matter came up before Justice Ilanthiraiyan, who heard preliminary arguments before adjourning the case for further submissions.

The High Court is expected to hear the remaining arguments on Tuesday before deciding whether to grant bail to the MLA or dismiss his petition.

During the earlier hearing, counsel for Markandayan argued that the speech was a political response to the Chief Minister's reported remarks about 'locking the doors of the Assembly' and should be viewed as legitimate political criticism rather than a criminal threat.

The defence further contended that the arrest violated constitutional safeguards, claiming that the police failed to inform the MLA of the grounds for his arrest. It also challenged the judicial remand order issued by the Thoothukudi court, arguing that it was unsustainable as the arrest itself did not comply with the prescribed legal procedure.

According to the petitioner, the police neither conducted a preliminary inquiry nor issued a notice directing him to appear for questioning before taking him into custody.

The alleged speech was delivered on July 18. A complaint was lodged around midnight on July 19, an FIR was registered in the early hours of July 20, and Markandayan was arrested later that day. The MLA has maintained that his speech was never intended to incite violence or disturb public order.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman