Jayalalithaa hospital video case: Madras High Court grants anticipatory bail to Vetrivel

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court today granted anticipatory bail to rebel AIADMK leader P Vetrivel who apprehended arrest in a case filed against him for releasing a video, purportedly showing late party chief J Jayalalithaa lying on a hospital bed.

Imposing conditions, Justice A D Jagadish Chandira allowed the anticipatory bail plea of Vetrivel, a disqualified MLA and staunch loyalist of sidelined AIADMK leader T T V Dhinakaran.

According to the conditions imposed, he has to appear at the Anna Square police station everyday at 10.30 am for two weeks.

On December 20, Vetrivel had released the video clip which showed a frail-looking Jayalalithaa in a night suit and sipping what appeared to be a health drink with a straw.

The release of the video, a day before the R K Nagar Assembly bypoll here, had sparked a political controversy with the ruling AIADMK objecting to it.

On a complaint from the returning officer that the video release violated the poll code and the Representation of the People Act, the police had registered a case against Vetrivel.

The one-man commission probing Jayalalithaa's death had also lodged a complaint with the police, seeking action against him.

Apprehending arrest, Vetrivel had moved the principal sessions court on December 22. As the sessions court dismissed his plea, he approached the high court.

In his plea, Vetrivel alleged that the case had been filed as the ruling party leaders wanted to wreak vengeance on him.

He claimed that the video had no connection whatsoever with the by-election.

The R K Nagar bypoll was won by Dhinakaran who contested as an Independent candidate.