Sasikala's husband Natarajan moves court for bail

CHENNAI: M Natarajan, husband of chief minister J Jayalalithaa’s friend N Sasikala, who was arrested in a criminal case, on Wednesday moved the principal sessions court in Chennai for bail.
Last week, the court of XI metropolitan magistrate, Saidapet, remanded Natarajan and another accused, Ilavazhagan, in police custody.
Both of them were accused of wrongful confinement and criminal intimidation of Karate Master Shihan Hussaini, who is also sculptor.
In his complaint, Hussaini said both had asked him to create a statue as part of the Mullivaikal Ninaivu Muttam in Thanjavur to depict the sufferings of the Tamils who were killed in the final phase of the civil war in Sri Lanka.
Hussaini alleged that he had been assaulted and confined in a room when he refused to complete the statue because of non-payment of the full amount. Subsequently, the central crime branch arrested and remanded them in judicial custody.
In his plea Natarajan, 72, said he was innocent and “in no way connected with the occurrence,” said Natarajan.
Providing his version of the chain of events, he said Hussaini had undertaken sculpture work in Mullivaikal Ninaivu Muttam for the memorial of the killed Tamils of Sri Lanka. He promised to complete the work for a payment of Rs 98 lakh and was paid Rs 75 lakh by the Ulaga Tamil Peravai Trust. On February 16, 2012, he gave an undertaking that he had received the amount and would complete the work on receipt of the balance amount. But well after the inauguration of the memorial, he did not finish the sculpture.
On June 26, 2014, the trustee of the Peravai Trust went to Hussaini’s house and asked to return the amount as he had not finished the sculpture. Hussaini threatened them with dire consequences and went on to file a complaint against them at the Tiruvanmiyur police station. He alleged that Natarajan and others threw a bottle at him, asked their men to bring a pistol, abused him and illegally detained him for two hours.
This was not correct and neither a weapon had been used nor the police had recovered firearms. There also was no attempt to extort money. As the case was based on the evidence of Hussaini, there was no question of tampering of evidence. As such he could be provided bail, said Natarajan.
The matter would come up for hearing on Wednesday.