The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Anticipatory bail for Panruti MLA

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Nov 10, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Anticipatory bail for Panruti MLA

By Our Staff Reporter

CHENNAI, NOV. 9. The Madras High Court today granted anticipatory bail to the Pattali Makkal Katchi MLA from Panruti, T. Velmurugan, who is an accused in a murder case. He was directed to stay in Coimbatore and sign before the judicial magistrate I there daily.

The matter relates to the murder of Venkatesan, a PMK district panchayat councillor, on August 22, for having allegedly cross-voted to help an All-India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam nominee win the Cuddalore District Panchayat Chairman post.

Justice S. Ashok Kumar, while rejecting the plea of Mr. Velmurugan's brothers, Thirumavalavan and Kannan, said, "normally in a case of murder anticipatory bail is not granted, except in exceptional cases and for cogent reasons." But for a "bald allegation" in the first information report, the names of the petitioners were not mentioned in the statements of eyewitnesses, confessions of the accused and in the inquest report. "Their names were implicated only after September 9, after the assumption of office by the present Superintendent of Police."

Report suppressed

The Grave Crime Report prepared by the Neyveli DSP, "which was suppressed from the court, clearly revealed that only eight persons participated in the occurrence and the petitioners were not in it." An affidavit filed by the investigating officer before the Cuddalore judicial magistrate also specifically stated that only eight were involved in the offence, Mr. Justice Ashok Kumar said.

The judge said the MLA should be enlarged on bail in the event of his arrest or if he surrendered within two weeks. Clarifying that the anticipatory bail would stand automatically cancelled if Mr. Velmurugan failed to surrender, the judge directed him to execute a bond for Rs. 10,000 with two sureties for a like sum each.

Cuddalore celebrations

Our Cuddalore Staff Reporter reports:

At Cuddalore, the PMK cadres burst fire crackers on hearing the court order. The PMK men, led by the Cuddalore Panchayat Union Chairman, Pazha.Thamaraikannan, consigned their black shirts to flames on Nethaji road. The functionaries had been wearing black shirts ever since Mr. Velmurugan was booked in the case.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Tamil Nadu