The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Raja denied bail in Aruna case

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Feb 09, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Raja denied bail in Aruna case

By Our Tamil Nadu Bureau

MADURAI, FEB. 8. The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court today denied bail to S. Arul Raja, a businessman, arrested in connection with the December 31, 2004 murder of the former Law Minister, Aladi Aruna, and his friend Ponraj.

Justice N. Kannadasan said it would not be proper to enlarge the petitioner on bail as he was booked in a double murder case, pending investigation.

However, considering that the petitioner was suffering from heart disease and after perusing a medical certificate given by a private hospital in Chennai, the judge directed jail authorities to arrange for his medical examination in the Madurai branch of the hospital within three days.

In his bail petition, Mr. Raja said Aruna was his close friend and there was no animosity between them as alleged by the police. In fact, Aruna invited him to the inauguration of a new engineering college built by him on June 6, 2004. Aladi Aruna instituted the college at Seetha Parapanallur, 10 km from the engineering institution run by Mr. Raja.

Held under NSA

Three other accused in the case have been arrested under the National Security Act.

The "kingpin" behind the murder, M. Veldurai of Marudhppapuram, and his associates, D. Azhagar alias Valarntha Azhagar of Tirupur and S. Balamurugan of Mehalingapuram near Tirunelveli Junction are facing "heinous crime cases," police sources said at Tirunelveli. Only a couple of days ago was another accused, S. Arumugam of Sivalaarkulam, arrested under the Goondas Act.

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