A court has issued a non-bailable warrant against All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam Treasurer and former chief minister O Pannerselvam and 19 other partymen, including two former ministers, in a case filed against them for allegedly damaging public property during an assembly by-election.

Judicial Magistrate of Tirumangalam near Madurai issued the warrant against Panneerselvam, former ministers K A Senottaiyan and Pollachi Jayaraman and 17 others on Friday.

Police had filed a series of cases against AIADMK men in December 2008 for allegedly damaging vehicles and other public property during by-election to Tirumangalam assembly constituency.

A case was also filed against Melur MLA, Sami. But he had been released on bail. As Panneerselvam and others had not obtained anticipatory bail, they were treated as absconding and chargesheets were filed against them, police said.