Madras HC grants Margandayan conditional bail, bars repeat of 'offence'

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Monday granted conditional bail to DMK legislator GV Markandayan in the case alleging that he threatened Chief Minister Vijay C Joseph Vijay.

Justice GK Ilanthiraiyan granted bail to Markandayan, directing him to file an undertaking before the Thoothukudi court that he would refrain from making such remarks in future. The court also directed him to appear before the jurisdictional police station and sign the register for two weeks, except on the days when the Legislative Assembly is in session.

According to the prosecution, the MLA allegedly used insulting language and issued criminal threats, including statements suggesting that Chief Minister Vijay would be confronted inside the Legislative Assembly and physically harmed if he shuts down the Assembly as he claimed in a meeting in Karur.

Based on a complaint lodged by Thoothukudi North TVK district secretary S Balasubramanian police registered a case against Markandayan under Sections 351 (3), 352, and 353 (2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

Meanwhile, Markandayan moved the Madras High Court seeking bail. In his petition, he contended that the Thoothukudi police arrested him without issuing a notice under Section 35 (3) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) and without affording him an opportunity to appear before the Investigating Officer.

His bail petition was dismissed by the Thoothukudi principal district and sessions court on July 30. Aggrieved by the order, Markandayan filed the present bail appeal before the Madras High Court.

During the hearing, State Public Prosecutor John Sathyan submitted that, with the Assembly session scheduled to commence on August 5, the court may direct Markandayan to furnish an undertaking that he would not make such derogatory or threatening remarks against Chief Minister Vijay in future.