CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Thursday granted anticipatory bail to Nakkheeran editor RR Gopal and associate editor A Kamaraj, who apprehended arrest based on a complaint filed in the Zam Bazaar police station here.An FIR was registered at the Zam Bazaar police station under various sections of the IPC, following a complaint from Anbu, an AIADMK functionary, that he was beaten up when he had gone to the Nakkheeran office to register his protest against a scandalous report published by the magazine. Also, complaints were filed in various police stations by many persons on the issue and an advance bail plea was moved.In his order, Justice MM Sundresh said offences under 147, 148, 323 and 504 IPC are bailable. The maximum punishment under section 505 is only three years. Offences under 504 and 505 pertain to the publication. “The question if the material published would attract offences under sections 504 and 505 of the IPC has to be proved by the said document itself.” The petitioners are running the bi-weekly and they are unlikely to abscond. A custodial interrogation is not required. Counsel for the petitioners has submitted that instructions would be given to the petitioners not to make any such statements in future, the judge noted.“While granting the relief (anticipatory bail), this court places a condition that the petitioners shall not publish any material like the one published on January 7,” the judge said.
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