Kovan’s counsel seeks bail, calls the case “vague and baseless”

The legal counsel for Kovan, the folk-artiste arrested on sedition charges, sought bail for the artiste on Thursday stating that his arrest was nothing but “kidnapping”. The court has asked the city public prosecutor to file a counter on Friday.

The counsel told the court that police had misconstrued facts to arrest the artiste. They also stated that it is a poet’s right to talk about sensitive issues and in this case it is about TASMAC shops which is creating problems for people in the state.

The counsel was arguing the case to prevent the custodial interrogation of Kovan by police as they suspect him of having connections with left extremist groups.

Kovan’s counsel also said that the arrest was illegal and proper guidelines were not followed.   

They also said that FIR did not prove occurrence of contempt or hatred against the state. It did not explain how he had incited people against the government or disturbed public peace. The counsel called the case “vague and baseless without any supportive material”, as stated in Times of India.

On Thursday, when the court proceedings were going on, a few police officials of the Central Crime Branch stopped the journalists from covering the proceedings, but the journalists were later allowed to cover the hearing.

The court adjourned the hearing as a petition seeking quashing of Kovan’s FIR is pending in the High court.

Kovan was arrested at 2:30 am on October 30, 2015 by Chennai police from his home in Tiruchy on sedition charges. After the songs he sang criticising the TASMAC shops and the state government went viral. Police had said that the songs were highly derogatory and against the state government.