Councillors slapped fine of 5,000 for damaging property

MADURAI: The Madurai bench of Madras high court granted conditional bail to five councillors of the Sankarankovil municipality in connection with a case registered against them for damaging municipal property.
They have to deposit Rs 5,000 at the municipality’s bank account for damaging public property.
The chairman of the municipality, Rajalakshmi, had filed a complaint with the Sankarankovil Town police against P Shankar, R Nehru, S Arunagiri, Niranjana and Muppidathi.She charged that they had verbally abused her during a council meeting held on March 11, 2015, and damaged properties belonging to the municipality.
Police registered a case under the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Woman and Tamil Nadu Public Property Damage and Loss Act.
Apprehending arrest, the councillors jointly filed an anticipatory bail petition.
The petitioners denied they had indulged in violence. The meeting was convened to discuss the issue of calling tender for road laying.
But the chairman and some of the councillors concluded the tender in an arbitrary manner, without discussing the matter, the petitioners said.
They had opposed the council decision and alleged irregularities to the tune of Rs 4.30 crore, and had held a sit-in protest, they said.
After hearing them, justice P N Prakash allowed their petition, but said the accused councillors should deposit Rs 5,000 in the municipality bank account for damaging public property. They have to surrender before a judicial magistrate court and get bail from the court.