Madras HC grants bail to two policemen in Thousand Lights extortion case

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court granted bail to two police officers, including a sub-inspector, who were booked for alleged extortion, while the prosecution objected to the bail, saying that the accused were involved in eight other similar cases.

Justice Sunder Mohan held that the accused sub-inspector Sunny Lloyd and special sub-inspector T Rajasingh are entitled to bail on parity as the three other accused were already out on bail.

The judge granted conditional bail to the accused and directed them to appear before the police station concerned every day until further orders.

It was reported that based on a tip-off from Sunny Lloyd and Rajasingh, three officers from the income tax department, Pradeep, Prabhu and Dhamodharan, intercepted a person, Thamim Ansari, who was carrying Rs 40 lakh, on December 11. Later, the IT officers took Thamim into their car, threatened him, and allegedly extorted Rs 20 lakhs from him.

Sunny Lloyd, who was arrested along with all the other accused in another extortion case, revealed the crime during the investigation. Following this, on February 4, the Thousand Lights police booked a case against all the accused under Section 126 (2), 127 (2), 239, 240, 199, 256, 316 (5), 314, 318 (2), 308 (3), 351 (2) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

Sunny Lloyd and Rajasingh moved a bail plea. The counsel of the accused submitted that the police couldn't find any victim to substantiate their case, and they arrested the petitioners merely based on the statements of the other accused.

Objecting to the bail, additional public prosecutor Arul Joseph submitted that the petitioners were the main accused in the case, and the main cause of the extortion was the information given by the accused.

Further, the investigation revealed that they were involved in eight similar offences, hence, they should not be granted bail, said the public prosecutor.