LTTE trio case adjourned

Cllr Daya Idaikadar warned by Court:

R. SRIKANTHAN in London

UK: The case brought before the Harrow Crown Court by the Metropolitan Police on the violence in front of the Tamil Broadcasting Corporation (TBC) on 8 June 2006 was formally adjourned following brief hearing on November 17.

Nadarajah Sethurupan, Anushriskumar Thamotherampillai and Kandiah Uthayasekaran stand accused of causing a disturbance in front of the TBC and over threatening behaviour towards four persons attached to the radio station.

Mrs S Ramaraj (broadcaster), R Loganathan (broadcaster), Vishvalingam Sivalingam (Political analyst of TBC) and Armugam Vivekananthan (panel member in TBC political discussion programme) are the main witnesses appearing for the prosecution.

The legal representatives of the defendants asked to grant leave to produce further documentary evidence and said that they require a Tamil interpreter to conduct the case.

The three member judges expressed their displeasure when such a request was made on the day of the hearing.

After considering the submissions made by the Defendant's legal representatives, it was decided that the case will be adjourned to 29th and 30th March 2007. The Court also set 10 January 2007 for a case management hearing for both parties to agree procedures during full hearing.

While deliberations were made at the Court the mobile phone of Cllr Daya Idaikadar rang disturbing the proceedings.

The Court Secretary on behalf of the judges gave stern warning to Cllr Idaikadar stating that he had violated the Court procedures outlined at the beginning of the hearing and that he could be sentenced for 30 days imprisonment for contempt of Court. However, the Court decided not to proceed with sentencing.

The case filed by the Metropolitan Police has the approval of the Crown Prosecution service. On the said date of the incident the three accused have gone to the Tamil Broadcasting Corporation and had caused disturbance by kicking and banging the entrance door and ringing the door bell relentlessly whilst a serious live political discussion programme was on the air.

They have also damaged the security alarm and had made life threatening and abusive statements against K Vivekananthan and Mrs S Ramaraj.

Both Nadarajah Sethurupan and Anushriskumar Thamotherampillai are being accused of carrying out systematic campaign of harassment against the Tamil Broadcasting Corporation.

The three accused have been released on unconditional bail and was told that the Court will proceed to make its decision even if they decide to abstain from the adjourned hearing.

The accused Nadarajah Sethurupan is said to be the editor of LTTE's Tamil website nitharsanam.com and Kandiah Uthaysekaran is the brother of Kandiah Suthaharan who is a LTTE fund collector in London.

All three accused are said to have close links with the UK proscribed LTTE terrorists.