Cleared/270 Words
“A case registered against four of us in connection with the jallikattu protest held in Madurai in 2017 is currently under trial. I have been undergoing medical treatment for the past three months due to health issues and was therefore unable to appear before the court. He was produced before a judicial magistrate in Madurai; after Mugilan cited health reasons for non-appearance for hearing, he was released on bail by the magistrate.
Mugilan hasn’t appeared for hearings for the past three months, citing medical reasons, according to sources. I had informed the CB-CID police about my health condition and told them that I would appear before the court during the next hearing and seek cancellation of the warrant. However, while I was travelling on a road in Perundurai in Erode district, police intercepted and arrested me,” the activist said. I was also denied permission to speak with my lawyers and was allowed to inform them only after a protest,” Mugilan said.
Later, he was granted bail on health grounds. Subsequently, a non-bailable warrant was issued against him. He was arrested at Erode. He claimed that police did not allow him to inform anyone about his arrest.
Speaking to reporters after appearing before the court, Mugilan alleged that he was illegally detained despite informing the authorities about his medical condition. Madurai : Madurai district CB-CID Madurai police have arrested environmental activist R S Mugilan at Erode on Monday night for not appearing before the court for a hearing in a jallikattu case registered against him. “Though I was detained around 9pm on Monday, the arrest memo was provided only on Tuesday morning.