Chennai: A court in Chennai today granted bail to Tamil folk singer Kovan who was arrested on October 30 for alleged sedition.
Granting him bail, Principal Sessions Judge N Audinathan observed during the hearing that the case was not one of defamation.
The judge directed Kovan to appear before the Investigation Officer as and when required and also to furnish a personal bond of Rs 5,000 with two sureties of like sum.
54-year-old Kovan was arrested in Tiruchirapalli on October 30 for alleged sedition, uploading "defamatory" electronic content against Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa and "disturbing" public peace.
On November 7, the Madras High Court had stayed a local court order remanding Kovan to two days police custody, saying it was 'erroneous.'
Justice CT Selvam had passed the interim direction at a special hearing at his residence on a petition by the singer, challenging Chief Judicial Magistrate Court's November 6 order.
The allegedly defamatory content in the form of videos were uploaded on some Tamil websites and had also gone viral on messaging mediums like Whatsapp.
The content, though centered over the liquor vending policy of Tamil Nadu government, allegedly had direct references to Chef Minister Jayalalithaa in a bad light.
The High Court had said a perusal of the papers revealed that in permitting two-day custody to Kovan, the primary concern of the lower court had been the need to probe any link with Naxals.
Granting him bail, Principal Sessions Judge N Audinathan observed during the hearing that the case was not one of defamation.
The judge directed Kovan to appear before the Investigation Officer as and when required and also to furnish a personal bond of Rs 5,000 with two sureties of like sum.
On November 7, the Madras High Court had stayed a local court order remanding Kovan to two days police custody, saying it was 'erroneous.'
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The allegedly defamatory content in the form of videos were uploaded on some Tamil websites and had also gone viral on messaging mediums like Whatsapp.
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The High Court had said a perusal of the papers revealed that in permitting two-day custody to Kovan, the primary concern of the lower court had been the need to probe any link with Naxals.
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