Karur court grants bail to two TVK functionaries

TIRUCHY: The two functionaries of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), who were lodged in the prison, were produced before the court in Karur on Wednesday after their custody ended, and the court granted them bail on citing that the case was transferred to CBI.

The Karur police arrested the TVK functionaries VP Mathiyazhagan and MC Pounraj after the tragedy, and they were produced before the court on September 30. They were lodged in the Central prison in Tiruchy, under judicial custody. While the bail petition of Pounraj was rejected on October 8, Mathiyazhagan’s bail petition was rejected on October 13 for the second time.

As the Supreme Court had transferred the case to the CBI, Judge Elavalagan postponed the hearing of the bail petition of Mathiyazhagan without mentioning the date.

The custody of both Mathiyazhagan and Pounraj ended on Wednesday and the SIT presented both before the Judicial Magistrate Court I from Tiruchy prison where they have been lodged.

However, the TVK advocates argued that the detention of both the functionaries under judicial custody can be considered as illegal since the case has been transferred from SIT to CBI and appealed for a bail on condition that the functionaries could be present before court every day till the case has been handed over to the CBI.

However, the public prosecutor opposed the argument and stated that the SIT is liable to continue with the investigation till the CBI takes over the case and sought for the extension of the judicial custody.

Later, the Magistrate SP Bharat Kumar, who heard both the arguments, granted bail to both Mathiyazhagan and Pounraj.

“As the bail has been granted, the bail copy would be served late tonight or tomorrow and they both would be released on bail,” said TVK advocate Arasu.