Chennai court denies bail to AIADMK leader D Jayakumar in assault case

A Chennai Sessions court on Friday rejected the bail petition of senior All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) leader and former Tamil Nadu minister D Jayakumar, who was arrested for allegedly attacking a DMK member, at a polling booth on urban local body poll voting day.

"Considering the gravity and nature of the offences, the serious objection raised on the side of prosecution and intervener, the court is on the view of petitioner and accused shall not be released," the court said.

Dismissing the bail petition, the court said that the "complainant is still in hospital" and the "investigation is at the preliminary stage."

Earlier in the day, the police had filed a petition in a metropolitan magistrate court in George Town court complex seeking five-day custodial interrogation but the court rejected the plea.

On the voting day of urban local body poll on February 19, a case was registered against Jayakumar for allegedly assaulting a DMK cadre and also forcing a DMK worker to remove his shirt and parading him half-naked on the day of local body polls.

Jayakumar accused the DMK cadre of indulging in booth capturing during polling for the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) council elections on February 19.

( With inputs from ANI )