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Synopsis

The Madras High Court recently granted anticipatory bail to seven Tamil Nadu Thowheed Jamath (TNTJ) functionaries who participated in protests against the Karnataka High Court judgment in the Hijab issue, the Hindu reported. 

Passing the order, the bench of Justice K. Murali Shankar observed that judgments were open to criticism, but no person could be permitted to overstep the limits of fair, bona fide and reasonable criticism.

However, taking note of the undertaking affidavits of petitioners, Asan Basha and Habibullah of Madurai and Al Malik Baizul, Syed Naina, Yasar Arabath, Seeni Umar Kathar and Althaf Usain of Ramanathapuram district stating that in future they would not conduct, participate or organise any such meetings or agitations against the judges and the judiciary, Court granted them the relief. 

Court said that it was inclined to grant anticipatory bail to the petitioners with certain conditions and directed the petitioners to remain in their respective places and report before the local police daily till further.

In various parts of the Sate, protests were organised by the TNTJ functionaries following the Karnataka High Court’s judgment upholding the ban on Hijab in educational institutions.  The protest in Madurai was held on March 17 and in Thiruvadanai in Ramanathapuram district on March 18.

Opposing the pre-arrest bail pleas, the State submitted that the speakers at the protests not only threatened the Karnataka High Court judges, but also the Supreme Court judges who were about to hear the appeal preferred against the judgment.

Reference to the death of an Additional District Judge in Dhanbad who was intentionally run over by an autorickshaw was also made.