Madras HC | Treesa Sunil | Social ThikanaM. Manikandan is the former IT minister and a member of the AIADMK. A Malaysian national who is the alleged victim in the case who says that she have been in relationship with the former minister for 3 years and was subjected to miscarriages thrice. The woman says that Mr.Manikandan promised to marry her and had physical relationship her under the pretense of it.
M. Manikandan
FIR was registered against the petitioner under sections 376, 313, 323, 417 & 506(i) IPC read with Section 67A of the Information Technology Act.
Manikandan’s bail plea was dismissed by a lower court prior to this. He then filed for an anticipatory bail before the Madras High Court. In his plea he is said to have implied that the woman was not a teenager nor was she a person, incapable of knowing the consequences of having sexual relationship with a married man. The former minister also said that continued sexual relationship on the pretext of marriage would not amount to rape.
Justice Abdul Quddhose dismissed the anticipatory bail plea by the accused on the grounds that he has been accused of grave offences and there is evidence that support the allegation. The accused denied all the allegations and did not cooperate with the investigation which also affected his plea.
“The petitioner being an influential person who was earlier holding the post of Minister and was also an M.L.A., it is not desirable at this preliminary stage of investigation to grant anticipatory bail to him that too, when there are several other witnesses who may have to be interrogated and materials unearthed for the purpose of eliciting the truth. Further, the petitioner till date has also not come forward to co-operate with the investigation by giving his version to the police and that is also one of the major factors which has influenced the mind of the Court to reject the petitioner's request for anticipatory bail at this preliminary stage of investigation.”, said the court.