Tamil Nadu: Six special teams search for absconding former minister K T Rajenthra Bhalaji

VIRUDHUNAGAR/MADURAI: The Virudhunagar district police has formed six special teams to nab former milk and dairy development minister K T Rajenthra Bhalaji (AIADMK) who is on the run after the Madras high court on Friday refused to grant him anticipatory bail in the cases pertaining to the job racket that was registered last month.
The first case is against Bhalaji and his two accomplices for collecting money from 23 people on the promise of getting them government jobs in Aavin and in government departments.The second case is based on a complaint from K Nallathambi, one of the co-accused in the first case, who claimed that Bhalaji had used him as a tool to collect money from people promising jobs in Aavin.
Police said that the former minister has been booked under sections 406 (punishment for criminal breach of trust), 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property), 120B (criminal conspiracy) and 506(i) (punishment for criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code. Bhalaji had led the party’s protest in Virudhunagar district against the DMK government on Friday, shortly before he was denied anticipatory bail.
While three special teams were formed on Friday, it was doubled on Saturday. AIADMK cadres thronged the minister’s house to condemn the action by the police.
Meanwhile, in a special sitting on Saturday, the Madras high court restrained the Virudhunagar police from summoning any relative of Bhalaji who are not figuring as an accused in the cheating cases registered by the Virudhunagar district crime branch (DCB).
Justice G R Swaminathan passed the interim order while hearing the petition filed by Bhalaji’s sister K Lakshmi, who sought a direction to the police not to harass her family members. The judge also directed the police to file a counter and adjourned the case to Monday.
Senior counsel for the petitioner submitted that two cases were registered against Bhalaji by the DCB. Since his anticipatory bail pleas were dismissed by the principal seat at Chennai on Friday, steps are taken to file a special leave petition before the Supreme Court.
He submitted that Lakshmi’s son Vasanthakumar was taken to the Thiruthangal police station around 9.30pm on Friday. Police made Vasanthakumar call his brother Ramana and driver Rajkumar to the station. The trio was detained there though they were not involved in any offence.
He further submitted that the police officials allegedly threatened them to ask the former minister to surrender, failing which they would register cases against them. They were allegedly interrogated by the Virudhunagar district superintendent of police before being detained at the Virudhunagar DCB from around 3.20am on Saturday.
The additional public prosecutor submitted that summons were issued to the three people, however, they did not appear. Due to this, they were brought to DCB. After obtaining statements, the three were let off at around 2.35pm on Saturday.