Land grab: TN ex-mantri held from hideout

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu CB-CID police on Tuesday arrested former AIADMK minister M R Vijayabhaskar, wanted in connection with a landgrab case, from a hideout in Kerala . He was absconding since his anticipatory bail pleas were dismissed last month. The team also arrested one Praveen.

According to a case registered by Vangal police in Tamil Nadu’s Karur district in June, 16 people — including Vijayabhaskar, Sekar, Praveen — kidnapped, assaulted, and criminally intimidated one M Prakash of Kattur to get his 22 acres of land, worth Rs 100 crore.

The Karur principal district and sessions court and Madras HC high court had rejected his petitions for anticipatory bail last month, following which he went underground.

He had, then, filed a fresh petition before the Madurai Bench of the high court seeking anticipatory bail, on the ground that his father has to undergo a surgery and that his presence was much needed. The petition is yet to be taken up for hearing.