Job racketeering case: Ex-minister Saroja, husband granted anticipatory bail

The Madras High Court has granted anticipatory bail to former social welfare and nutritious meal scheme minister Dr V Saroja and her husband in a case booked against them on charges of cheating several people by collecting money offering them posting as noon meal organisers.

Justice AD Jagadish Chandira passed the direction on allowing the petition filed by Saroja and her husband Logarajan.The petitioners had sought a direction to grant anticipatory bail on a case booked by the Namakkal district crime branch. The case was booked on a complaint filed by Kalaimathi and Gunaseelan, who claimed to be the relative of the former minister.

The complainants had stated that the former minister and her husband had allegedly collected nearly Rs 76.5 lakh from 15 people with a promise of offering them a noon meal organiser’s post but failed to provide the job.

However, the accused stated that due to family enmity, the de-facto complainant has preferred the above-said case with an ulterior motive to harass them.

“The appointment of noon-meal organisers was made purely based on merits by the district Collectors. The former minister and her family are in no way connected with the appointment of noon-meal organisers,” the counsel for petitioners submitted.

On recording the submissions, the judge granted the anticipatory bail directing the petitioners to appear before the investigation officer daily for two weeks.