Expelled AIADMK MP ‘courts’ trouble

Sasikala Pushpa, the Rajya Sabha MP who was expelled from the AIADMK after she sensationally alleged in Parliament that her life was under threat, has courted trouble by filing a vakalat for an anticipatory bail petition in Madurai while she was not even in the country.

Taking a serious view of this, the Madras High Court’s Madurai Bench on Tuesday issued summons to the MP to appear before it on August 29. Sasikala had first gained infamy when late last month she slapped DMK Rajya Sabha MP ‘Tiruchy’ Siva at the Delhi airport alleging that he had mocked her then party leader and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa. However, two days later, she turned the nation’s attention to her by breaking down in Rajya Sabha claiming that she was slapped by her leader and was being forced to resign her membership but was keen on serving the people. She also apologised to Siva. Subsequently, some individuals including her former woman maid had filed a police complaint alleged sexual torture at her house by her and her husband and son. Fearing arrest, she had moved the Delhi High Court and obtained a blanket restraining order from being arrested.

Later as per the Delhi High Court’s instruction, she moved an anticipatory bail plea before the Madras High Court (Madurai Bench). Her husband and son too filed bail applications. However on Monday, opposing the anticipatory bail application, Additional Advocate General Pugalendhi pointed out certain glaring discrepancies in it. He said that the MP as per the vakalat, it appeared that the MP had signed it in Madurai on August 18. But he said, the accused had in fact flown to Singapore one day earlier. That being so there was no way she could file the vakalat at Madurai on August 18. “No litigant, much less an elected representative, is expected to make a false statement on oath,” the Additional Advocate General said.