High Court summons Arjun Sampath’s son Omkar Balaji

He had sought anticipatory bail in a case booked for having allegedly threatened to chop off journalist Nakheeran Gopal’s tongue

The Madras High Court on Thursday summoned Hindu Makkal Katchi (HMK) leader K. Arjun Sampath’s son and the party’s youth wing leader A.S. Omkar Balaji on November 13 in connection with a case booked against him for having allegedly threatened to chop off journalist Nakheeran R. Gopal’s tongue.

Justice A.D. Jagadish Chandira insisted on his presence while hearing an anticipatory bail plea. The judge also wanted to know whether the petitioner would be willing to apologise and file an affidavit to that effect. He asked the petitioner’s counsel to take instructions in that regard by the next hearing.

Earlier, Government Advocate (criminal side) S. Santhosh told the court that HMK had organised a protest meeting near Racecourse station in Coimbatore on October 27 to condemn those who oppose Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev’s Isha Foundation and the Isha Yoga Centre located under Velliangiri foothills.

HMK president Mr. Sampath as well as the present anticipatory bail petitioner had participated in the protest. An autorickshaw dealer, also a member of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, happened to hear the speech when he was on the way for his personal work and lodged a police complaint the next day.

According to the complainant A. Abdul Jaleel, the present petitioner had warned Mr. Gopal that he would be dragged to the streets like a dog, handcuffed and locked up in prison after the DMK loses power in the State. He also accused the petitioner of having threatened to chop off the journalist’s tongue.

Stating that the charges against the petitioner were serious, the Government Advocate urged the court to dismiss the anticipatory bail plea.

Published - November 07, 2024 09:51 pm IST