HC grants anticipatory bail to Madurai mayor in graft case

MADURAI: The Madurai bench of the Madras high court on Monday granted anticipatory bail to Madurai mayor Thenmozhi Gopinath in connection with a corruption case.The Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) filed a case against Thenmozhi under the Prevention of Corruption Act and IPC Sec 120(b) on June 17 following a court direction. Thenmozhi was accused of having received bribes from a local DMK functionary who had allegedly encroached on a piece of land belonging to Madurai Corporation in the Madhichiyam area.Acting on a complaint from M Jayaraman, an advocate, DVAC sleuths also slapped cases on Madurai corporation commissioner S Sebastian, chief town planning officer, three assistant commissioners, surveyor, assistant engineer, DMK urban district literature wing secretary Sundararajan and his wife Rangammal. Jayaraman had contended that the mayor and the civic body officials did not take any action to evict and recover the property. Thenmozhi had moved an anticipatory bail petition soon after the case was slapped. When the petitions of Thenmozhi and Sundararajan came up for hearing, Justice R S Ramanathan granted bail to both with a condition that the duo should appear before the DVAC office in Madurai city daily for two weeks until further orders. Additional advocate general K Chellapandiyan strongly opposed granting anticipatory bail to the mayor and Sundarajan stating that probe into the case against them was at an initial stage and if they were let out on bail, they may attempt to suppress the case. Thenmozhi, in her petition, stated that she was holding a position of high respect in the society and would not interfere with the probe and would abide by the conditions stipulated by the court.