SC grants 6 weeks protection from arrest to expelled AIADMK MP

New Delhi, Aug 26 (PTI) The Supreme Court today grantedprotection from arrest to Rajya Sabha MP Sasikala Pushpa forsix weeks in a sexual harassment case filed by her twodomestic aides. A bench headed by Chief Justice T S Thakur said that theHigh Court will expeditiously decide the anticipatory bailapplication of the expelled AIADMK leader The bench also comprising justices A M Khanwilkar and D YChandrachud said that the High Court will take a decision onher application uninfluenced by the order of the apex court. Senior advocate Siddharth Luthra appearing for Pushpasaid that she is not going to run away. "She is a Rajya Sabha MP and due to some technicalproblem in vakalatnama, the High Court has asked her to appearbefore it," he added. Luthra said that she may be arrested once she entersTamil Nadu. Earlier, on August 11, Delhi High Court had asked TamilNadu government not to take any coercive action till August 22against the expelled AIADMK MP, her husband and their son whoare facing the harassment case. The High Court had also asked the petitioners to approachthe appropriate court in Tamil Nadu for relief by then. The court had, however, refrained from passing any orderstaying the proceedings in the case. The domestic servants, who reportedly worked at Pushpa’shouse in Tamil Nadu, had filed a police complaint allegingthat they were tortured. Earlier, the Delhi High Court had directed the police toescort Sasikala to Parliament so she can discharge her dutysafely. It had also issued notice to the Ministry of Home Affairs(MHA) and Delhi Police seeking their response on Pushpa’s pleain which she has sought security for her while attending RajyaSabha session. Pushpa was expelled from the AIADMK after an altercationwith DMK MP Tiruchi Siva at the Delhi airport. Since then shehas alleged that she was being threatened into resigning fromher post. PTI MNL ABA RKS RRTRT