Monday, January 2 2006 19:56 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Chennai: The Madras High Court today (Jan 2, 2006) reserved orders on a petition filed by the Tamil Nadu police, seeking cancellation of bail to Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) Councillor K Dhanasekharan, who was arrested in connection with the December 8 last stampede, which claimed 42 lives.

Barely a few hours after the first Additional Sessions Judge A R Selvakumar had granted bail to the councillor on December 26, Justice S Sardar Zackria Hussain suspended the order granting bail on a petition seeking cancellation of the bail on the ground that the Judge had failed to take into consideration, the statement of witnesses, which allegedly indicated non application of mind.

Besides, the petition said that the judge had not considered the fact that Dhanasekaran was a history shetter. The councillor has since been brought under the 'Goondas Act', a law for dealing with habitual offenders.

Opposing the petition, Dhanasekaran's counsel senior advocate R Shanmughasundaram MP argued that bail could only be cancelled if the person granted bail violated conditions laid down in the order granting bail.

In a counter affidavit filed in response to the petition for bail cancellation, Dhanasekaran denied the charge that he had spread rumours that 'flood relief tokens' would be distributed at 3.00 AM, which resulted in people assembling at that early hour and later led to the stampede following a heavy downpour.