A day after the Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi blamed the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and its allies for the petrol bomb attack on Raj Bhavan, the DMK has hit back and alleged that the accused Karukka Vinodh had links with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Tamil Nadu Law Minister Reghupathy alleged that the lawyer who represented Vinodh and helped him obtain bail was part of the BJP’s legal wing.
The advocate, Muthamizh Selvakumar, denied that he was part of the BJP. However, he agreed that he was the counsel for Vinodh in the bail case in July 2023. Speaking to TNM, Muthamizh Selvakumar said, "He approached my junior saying he was in long incarceration. Initially, we refused to take up the case, but after repeated requests, we took up the case," he said.
He, however, claimed that he was not a member of the BJP and said that his name was printed on the BJP’s letterhead without his knowledge. Muthamizh Selvakumar was named the head of the Legal Wing in a BJP Thiruvarur unit letterhead in 2020.
"I am not part of the BJP. I am not with the party. In 2020, an appointment letter was printed with my name on it. The office bearers said I was a lawyer in the locality and joined the BJP. I said I was not interested in any party work and they removed me from the roster. I am not a member nor part of the legal wing of the BJP. I am not connected with any political parties. I know many people from political parties and I’m in close touch with them for many cases, that does not mean I can be projected as a member of the party and intentionally took him out on bail," he said.
The state’s Law Minister earlier took to social media and alleged that he received a piece of information that Vinodh was bailed out by a lawyer who was associated with the BJP. Stating that it was suspicious, he said that the police were also investigating the matter.
Muthamizh Selvakumar recently bailed out Vinodh from jail in a 2022 case when he hurled petrol bombs at Kamalalayam, the BJP headquarters. The DMK alleged that the "link" between Vinodh and the lawyer exposed the BJP’s attempt to create law and order issues in Chennai.
“As an advocate, I did my duty to get him out on bail. I have taken up many cases for several people, including those from the ruling and the opposition parties. My duty is just to ensure legal rights,” Muthamizh Selvakumar said.
He also said that two people named Ishakhi Pandian and Nisok signed the bail bond along with him. “They are also from the same area. Nisok is with the DMK. Getting bail was not a political case at all,” the lawyer said.
Though the BJP has claimed that the lawyer’s name was used without obtaining his permission, the lawyer told TNM that he took Vinodh’s case as he had been incarcerated for long. A police source told TNM that the case was referred to through the Tamil Nadu Legal Services Authority which steps in if a person is not able to get legal assistance.
It is to be noted that Vinodh claimed to have hurled the bombs at Governor RN Ravi’s residence in Chennai because he was denied premature release from jail by the Governor. He also alleged that Ravi did not assent to the release of Muslim prisoners and cited that as an additional reason for having hurled bombs. Two more petrol bombs were recovered from Vinodh by the police who arrested him.