Madras High Court Instructs NTK's Seeman To Tread Cautiously When Speaking About Political Leaders

The High Court refused to absolve Seeman from a case filed against him for inciting riots.

Chennai: The Madras High Court on Thursday instructed Naam Tamilar Katchi party chief coordinator Senthamizhan Seeman to speak carefully about politicians.

The High Court, which refused to absolve Seeman from a case filed against him for inciting riots, has also refused to exempt him from appearing in person for the trial. During the 2019 Vikravandi by-election, the district Congress president had filed a complaint at Kanchanur police station alleging Seeman had called former Prime Minister of India late Rajiv Gandhi a traitor. While the case registered on the basis of this complaint is under trial in the Vikravandi court, Seeman had filed a petition in the Madras High Court in which he had asked to be exempted from the case.

The petition filed by Seeman came up for hearing before Justice Velmurugan who said, "There is evidence to support the allegations made in this case from the first information report, the final report and the statements of the witnesses. Therefore, there is no problem in continuing the case. There is no sufficient evidence in Seeman's request to be released from the case."

Seeman's lawyer also requested that his client be exempted from appearing in person for the hearing of the case. However, the judge rejected the request and said, "Seeman will stop speaking like this only if he appears in court. Seeman has been attacking political leaders in his speeches for the last six months. Such speeches and statements incite individuals."