Chennai: The Madras High Court today (June 16, 2004) permitted MDMK (Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam) chief Vaiko to return back to the city from the US on June 22 instead of June 20 as directed by the court.

A Division Bench, comprising Justice N Dinakar and Justice M Chokalingam, allowed a prayer by Vaiko, who sought extension on the ground that he could not secure a return air ticket to the country from Chicago in the US earlier than June 20.

In his petition Vaiko, currently in Chicago, contended that he was only able to secure a return journey ticket on an Air India carrier leaving from there on the night of June 20 (0800 AM IST of June 21) and that he would reach Mumbai in the early hours of June 22 and arrive later at 05.00 hrs (IST). He said extension by two days would cause no prejudice to the prosecution as the Supreme Court had stayed all proceedings in the case. Vaiko had left here for the US at 00.50 hours on June four.

Earlier on May 28 last, he had filed a petition in the High Court for permission to leave the country and accompany his wife, who was to take their 11-month-old grand daughter to her parents in Chicago.

The court on June two had permitted him to go abroad for three weeks but directed he return to the city on June 20.

He is facing charges under the anti-terror law for speaking in favour of the banned LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) at a public meeting at Thirumangalam in Madurai in June 2002.

Vaiko was granted bail by a designated POTA (Prevention of Terrorism Act) court in the first week of February.