CHENNAI: A special court in the city acquitted Tiruporur MLA SS Balaji of the VCK in a seven-year-old unlawful assembly case booked for staging a protest against the Union government over violence against Dalits.
Pronouncing the verdict in the case, the special court constituted to hear cases against MPs/MLAs acquitted all the accused, including Balaji and five others, noting that the charges filed against them were not established.
On March 3, 2018, a large number of VCK cadre gathered near Anna Statue on Anna Salai, condemning the Union government over the increasing violence against Dalits. It was reported that Balaji and other VCK functionaries assembled for the protest without getting proper permission from the jurisdictional police.
Hence, the Triplicane police booked a case against Balaji, Chelladurai, Selvam, and two other functionaries under sections 143, 149, and 290 of IPC and 7 (1) (A), 41 (6) c (li) of Criminal Law Amendment Act, 2005.
They were charged with unlawful assembly, rioting, and preventing public servants from discharging their duties.