HC relaxes bail condition for accused in Kodanad case

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court had modified the bail conditions for two accused who were arrested on charges of involving in the Kodanad heist-cum-murder cases in The Nilgiris district in 2017.

Justice N Sathish Kumar passed the direction on allowing a criminal original petition filed by Ramesh and Dhanapal, the accused in the dacoity and murder case.

The petitioners sought a direction to set aside the order of the Sessions Court, Udhagamandalam granting bail to them with a condition that they should appear before the Ooty police every Monday.

“The condition already imposed on the petitioners to stay in Ooty and sign before the respondent police every Monday is modified however, they are directed to report before the respondent police every fortnight i.e. on 1st and 15th of every month at 10.30 a.m. until further orders,” the judge held.

The judge further passed the orders on the ground that the petitioners’ counsel stated that there is a life threat to the petitioners in Ooty and the police on the pretext of investigation are taking the petitioners to Salem police station without informing the local police.

The petitioners also informed the judge that the conditions for the other accused in the case have been modified.

The judge further made it clear that if the police want to take the petitioners under custody for investigation, without obtaining necessary orders from the concerned court, they cannot take the petitioners into custody under the pretext of investigation.

It is noted that police arrested Dhanapal, the brother of Kanagaraj, a prime suspect in the case who was killed in a car accident. Dhanapal’s relative Ramesh was also arrested in October 2021 and both were remanded to judicial custody. The duo were arrested on charges of tampering evidence.