The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has granted anticipatory bail to film director Mohan, who was accused of making derogatory remarks about the Panchamirtham, a sacred offering at the Palani Dhandayuthapani Swamy Temple.Mohan, who hails from Chennai, is known for directing films like Draupathi. A case was filed against him by the Palani Adivaram Police after he allegedly made controversial remarks about the temple’s Panchamirtham on social media.
Following this, Mohan filed for anticipatory bail in the High Court. The petition was heard by Justice T. Bharath Chakravarthy. Mohan’s counsel argued that the comment was not made directly, but in response to concerns raised about the Tirupati Laddu, during which the issue of tablets being mixed in the Panchamirtham surfaced. The counsel added that the statement was made with the intention of advising caution and that the case was filed with a hidden agenda.
On behalf of the prosecution, the government lawyer argued that the truth would only come to light if Mohan was taken into custody for interrogation and opposed granting bail.
After hearing the arguments, the judge ruled in favor of anticipatory bail, on the condition that Mohan appear before the Palani Adivaram Police Station for three weeks. Furthermore, Mohan was instructed to post a public apology on the same social media platform where the original remark was made, stating that the comment was posted without proper verification.
The court order concluded with this directive, allowing Mohan the relief of anticipatory bail.