Indian MP terror charges dropped

Vaiko says the cases against him were politically motivated

The government in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu has withdrawn charges against a senior politician accused of supporting the Tamil Tigers.

The decision means that the politician, Vaiko, and eight of his supporters are no longer considered terror suspects.

They were arrested and detained under India's controversial Prevention of Terrorism Act (Pota).

The central government has pledged to reform the law, which it argues contains draconian and unfair measures.

Correspondents say the decision to withdraw charges against Vaiko is a climb-down by the state government, which supported the decision by the previous central government to introduce Pota and refused to withdraw cases against him.

'Victory for justice'

The leader of the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazakham (MDMK) party, Vaiko and his supporters were arrested and detained for alleged comments they made in support of Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebels.

The Sri Lankan rebel group is banned in India.

A review committee set up to look into the matter said verbal support to a banned group did not amount to an act of terrorism.

Vaiko described the withdrawal of the cases against him as a victory for justice.

He said that the charges were politically-motivated.

Vaiko spent almost a year and a half in prison before being released on bail in February, after the Indian Supreme Court halted all court proceedings against him.

The Tigers, who spent years fighting for autonomy in Sri Lanka, are blamed for assassinating former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in Tamil Nadu in 1991.