HC relaxes stringent bail conditions on Vaiko

CHENNAI, Feb 4 (UNI) Marumalarchi DMK (MDMK) general secretary and POTA detenu Vaiko is all set to be released on bail as Madras High Court today relaxed some of the stringent conditions imposed by a special court trying POTA cases.

Admitting an appeal filed by Vaiko, MP, seeking to set aside three of the 14 conditions imposed by special court judge L Rajendran for releasing him on bail, a division bench comprising Justice V S Sirpurkar and Justice S K Ibrahim Kalifullah, permitted the MDMK leader to leave the city after intimating the investigating officer (IO) in the case.

The bench said that Vaiko could move out the city to perform his political and public duty without causing prejudice to the day-to-day trial proceedings in the special court, trying POTA cases.

The bench also said that the MDMK leader need not appear before a metropolitan magistrate (incharge) on all holidays, one of the 14 conditions imposed by the special judge.

On special judge's condition that Vaiko file a sworn affidavit that he would abide by the conditions, the bench said that it was enough if Vaiko gave an undertaking regarding conditions like he would appear in person on all working days for the trial proceedings and extend his cooperation.