Tuesday, December 27 2005 17:14 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Chennai: The Madras High Court today (Dec 27, 2005) stayed a sessions court order granting bail to DMK Corporation Councillor K Dhanasekharan, arrested in connection with the stampede in the city on Dec18, in which 42 lives were lost.

Justice Sardar Zackria Hussain granted the interim stay till Jan 2 on a petition filed by the Inspector of Police, MGR Nagar (where the stampede occurred), seeking to quash the order of the first additional sessions judge A R Selvakumar yesterday granting bail and to stay the operation of the order pending disposal of the petition.

The judge also directed senior counsel R Shanmugha Sundaram, appearing for Dhanasekaran, to file the counter by Jan 2 (when the court reopens after vacation) and posted the case on that day.

The stampede occurred at a flood relief token distribution centre in the city's MGR Nagar area.

On December 20, the city police had arrested Dhanasekaran for allegedly spreading rumours that December 18 was the last day for issue of flood relief tokens and that distribution would start at 5.00 am. Police had claimed that the rumours led to the stampede on that day.

However, Dhanasekaran had alleged that he was being implicated with 'ulterior motive' and 'malafide intention' only because he belonged to the opposition DMK.