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NBW issued against Vaiko

By Our Tamil Nadu Bureau

CHENNAI July 9. A non-bailable arrest warrant was issued against the MDMK general secretary and Sivakasi MP, Vaiko, by a Tirumangalam court in Madurai district tonight. Mr. Vaiko, who is currently in the United States, has been booked under various Sections of the Prevention of Terrorism Act, the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, and the IPC, for making a pro-LTTE speech at a meeting at Tirumangalam on June 29.

Eight other party functionaries, against whom NBWs were issued by a magistrate last night, were arrested and lodged in prison earlier today.

At Tirumangalam, the judicial magistrate remanded the eight MDMK men to judicial custody for 30 days. Though an NBW was not necessary to arrest an accused under the POTA, the Government and the police consciously chose to take recourse to this strategy to be seen as following the legal course. To facilitate the issue of the NBWs, the eight party functionaries were declared ``absconding'' by the Tirumangalam police.

In `in-camera' proceedings last night, the police secured the NBWs for the eight functionaries, but the magistrate rejected a similar plea in the case of Mr. Vaiko. As he was not in the country when the case was filed, the MDMK leader could be given time to surrender on his return. Also, the police had sweeping powers under the POTA to arrest him, officials explained.

Early this morning, special police parties, which fanned out from Madurai, picked up the MDMK leaders from Erode, Sivaganga and Madurai. Meanwhile, in a statement issued from Chicago, Mr. Vaiko, condemned the arrest of his colleagues as a ``vindictive act that strangulates democracy''. Appealing to the cadres to maintain the peace and not to give room for violence, the MDMK leader said he would arrive in Chennai, as planned, around 1 p.m., Thursday.

He said ``atrocities are being let loose in this fascist regime'', and vowed to face the challenge in ``Anna's way''. In a statement released from Thanjavur, the chairman of the MDMK presidium, L. Ganesan, condemned the ``repressive and authoritarian measures unleashed by the Government'' .

Mr. Vaiko, who had only expressed his support to the LTTE in the fight for the rights of Sri Lankan Tamils, was sought to be portrayed as a ``terrorist''. He appealed to the cadres to stage demonstrations and court arrest all over the State on July 12.

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