Film directors released on bail
 

Madurai (PTI): Tamil film directors Ameer and Seeman, arrested on sedition charges for their recent pro-LTTE speeches, were on Friday released on bail from the Central Prison here.

The two were granted conditional bail by a fast track court in Ramanathapuram on Wednesday.

They were arrested on October 24 in Chennai in connection with a case registered against them here by the Tamil Nadu police for making inflammatory speeches during the October 19 cinema industry rally in support of Sri Lankan Tamils.

 

Talking to reporters outside the prison, Seeman and Ameer asked the central and state governments to take all steps to persuade Sri Lanka to stop the ongoing military offensive against the LTTE, saying it had badly hit the Tamils living there.

The directors, who were accompanied by industry colleagues including Bharathiraja, Bhagyaraj and Seran, said they went to prison "for the welfare" of Sri Lankan Tamils, and they would be happy only if peace returned to Tamils' areas in the Island.

"Somehow an impression has been created that the film industry is working only for money. We held the rally only to belie the impression... to show we too have social affinity and feelings for the Tamils around the world," they said.