Sasikala Pushpa, kin asked to appear in Madras High Court

Madurai: The Madurai Bench of Madras High Court on Tuesday directed Rajya Sabha MP Sasikala Puhspa, her husband and son to appear in the court on August 29 in connection with their anticipatory bail petitions.

The Pudukottai All Women Police station in Thoothukudi district filed a case against Sasikala Pushpa, who was recently expelled from AIADMK, and her family members including her husband Lingeswara Thilagam, son Pradeep Raja and her mother T Gowri on the charges of sexual harassment levelled against them by a woman who worked in their home. Apprehending arrest by the police, Sasikala, her husband and son filed separate anticipatory bail petitions in the court. Gowri (62) had also filed a similar petition.

When the case came up for hearing today, B Pugalenthi, Additional Advocate General contended that the petitioner's advocate had filed vakalat in their absence. "As the law suit was filed when the petitioners were away abroad, it may be treated as fraud played upon this court," he argued.

During the investigation, the police found that Sasikala and her husband Lingeswara Thilagan had left for Singapore by an Air India flight on August 10 and returned on August 14. Again, she left for Singapore from Delhi on August 17 and her husband had done so a day in advance. "While so, this anticipatory bail application is filed at Madurai on August 18 as if they were present at Madurai on August 17 and signed in the presence of an advocate," said Pugalenthi adding that it is understood that Sasikala is away abroad even now.

Pointing out the direction issued by the Principal Bench of the Madras High Court to the Registry while dealing with an anticipatory bail application, he said," Either the anticipatory bail application is signed by the petitioner himself or any other authentication is produced to show that he has given such an authority to the counsel to file the petition on his behalf or by getting a vakalat authorising the counsel to file the petition on his behalf,".

In this case, ever since the anticipatory bail applications were filed either in the form of an affidavit or petition along with vakalat, the petitioners had not visited TN, he said. "While so executing a vakalat at Madurai is highly impossible and it raises serious doubt in the manner in which the above anticipatory bail application is filed before this court. The petitioners are duty bound to establish the genuineness of their vakalat filed before this Court," he said.

After hearing the arguments, Justice V M Velumani directed the petitioners to appear in the court next Monday to give their explanation. The judge also observed that the anticipatory bail petitions would be decided based on merit.