Vaiko acquitted in sedition case

A Sessions court here on Thursday acquitted MDMK leader Vaiko from a sedition case filed against him in 2009 for allegedly speaking against the Central Government accusing it of aiding the Sri Lankan government during the fourth and final phase of the Eelam war.

The III Additional Sessions Court, Chennai passed the order noting that the prosecution has failed to prove the charges against Mr. Vaiko beyond reasonable doubt.

The case of the prosecution is that Mr. Vaiko, while addressing a public meeting titled ‘ Elangaiyail Nadapathu Enna ?’ (What is happening in Sri Lanka?), in October 2008 spoke against the Union government for aiding Sri Lanka.

In April 2009, the Chennai City police registered a sedition case against the MDMK leader for his speech warning that “India would not remain one country if the war against the LTTE in Sri Lanka was not stopped.”

The case was registered under 13(1)b of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Amendment Act, 2004 (advocating, abetting, advising or inciting the commission of any unlawful activity) and also under Section 124 A (sedition) and Section 505 (1) (b) (statements conducing to public mischief) of the Indian Penal Code.

During the course of trial, Mr. Vaiko, while admitting to his participation in the meeting, said that he had only spoken about the plight of Tamils, and their ordeal in Sri Lanka and not against Indian sovereignty.

Though a CD of the speech was submitted to the court, the judge decided that no case could be made out on the charges framed against him, since several witnesses turned hostile during the trial.

Source: The Hindu

-Agencies