The Madras High Court Bench here on Thursday granted bail to M. Krishnamurthy alias Murthy (56), former personal assistant to Tourism Minister S.P. Shunmuganathan, in a case booked against him by Thoothukudi Town Police on a charge of cheating a couple by promising to get a government job for the woman on payment of Rs. 3 lakh.
Justice P.N. Prakash allowed the petitioner’s second bail application – the first application was dismissed on April 18 – on condition that he should appear before Tiruttani police station twice every day until further orders and should not attempt to destroy evidence. The judge granted him the relief after recording prosecution’s submission that the investigation had been completed.
The complainant, P. Kirubanantha Murugan, a Dalit, had accused the applicant of not getting the job of Lab Assistant in a government school for his wife despite receiving the money. He also alleged to have been abused with reference to his caste. Hence, the police had booked the petitioner under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act also and arrested him on March 16.
