Following the arrest of anti-liquor activist Nandhini Anandan and her father R Anandan, #ReleaseNandhini began trending on social media on Friday and Saturday. The Tirupattur police arrested Nandhini and her father on Thursday based on the orders of Judicial Magistrate court.
The duo has now been lodged at the Madurai Central Prison until July 9 when the case will be heard next. Nandhini’s wedding was scheduled to happen on July 5.
The Magistrate however offered to release them on bail if they produced sureties. Nandhini had appeared before the Tirupattur court on June 27 in connection with a 2014 case against her for protesting against a Tasmac outlet. The duo had been distributing pamphlets inside Tirupattur bus stand and had allegedly staged a dharna when the police asked them to distribute pamphlets without causing inconvenience to the public.
A case was then filed and the two were booked on charges of abusing police and preventing public servants from discharging their duties.
According to reports, when the case came up for hearing on Thursday, Nandhini had allegedly asked the court if liquor was a medicine, food item or intoxicant and argued that according to IPC 328, selling drugs through Tasmac was a crime. The magistrate then told the duo that they cannot raise questions irrelevant to the proceedings.
At this stage, the duo questioned the government and court, and made unflattering remarks. After adjourning the session to the afternoon, Judicial magistrate Samundeeswari Praba initiated suo moto contempt of court proceedings against the duo.
Nandhini has remained an active anti-liquor activist since her school days and has been arrested in relation to her protests in the past. She is well known for campaigning along with her father in public places to raise awareness regarding ill-effects of alcohol.
#ReleaseNandhini trending were your sister Nandhini pic.twitter.com/VuyzfUXzT1
— Arjun (@Arjun_90skid) June 29, 2019
Nandhini.. It's is a name that is currently heard all over Tamil Nadu. She's been fighting since 12 years against anti alcohol. And been jailed for questioning. To end this, she posed a question to the court.!#ReleaseNandhini pic.twitter.com/o2ruKvtrkI
— Suneel Ram (@suneelkrishh) June 30, 2019
#ReleaseNandhini This isn't fair... All she questioned was if alcohol is a food, she is thrown in jail... Pathetic standards... I wish they marry right during remand and give befitting reply to all who wanted her to be in Jail... @RKRadhakrishn @Rajakumaari
— Vjvijay (@Vjvijay34186733) June 29, 2019
We support nandhini #ReleaseNandhini pic.twitter.com/apQGKNI2yV
— Mohamed Ismail (@Murshid0989) June 29, 2019
#realeasenandhini #ReleaseNandhini pic.twitter.com/XS7WiguAco
— Dhayalan Kingraja (@DhayalanKingra1) June 30, 2019