The Hindu : Anticipatory bail for Gopal

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Mar 06, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Tamil Nadu

Anticipatory bail for Gopal

By Our Staff Reporter

CHENNAI MARCH 5. The Madras High Court today granted anticipatory bail to the `Nakkheeran' editor, R.R. Gopal, in connection with the murder of two `police informers' by Veerappan in 1998, but asked him to submit himself for interrogation for 15 days.

Acknowledging that senior counsel for the petitioner, K. Subramanian, had placed enough materials to show that there was a friction between Mr. Gopal and the police machinery for a long time, Justice C. Nagappan said: "Having regard to the evidence placed by the petitioner, I am of the view that he has made out a case for pre-arrest bail in both the cases".

The Special Wing of the CB-CID sought to arrest Mr. Gopal in connection with the murder of one Kandavelu and Bhakthavatsalam by Veerappan. It alleged that Mr. Gopal `had an active role in the kidnapping and the murder of the informers, and the publication of the article with photographs in the magazine was done with an oblique motive to deter others from giving information to the police'.

Referring to an earlier order in the `Rajkumar kidnap case' wherein Justice V. Kanagaraj had directed Mr. Gopal to undergo police interrogation for 10 days continuously, Mr. Justice Nagappan said, "as for interrogation, I am inclined to follow the earlier order. Mr. Gopal shall be released on bail in the event of his arrest on his surrendering before the courts concerned. He shall execute a personal bond for Rs. 25,000 in each case with two sureties each for a like sum.

"He shall appear before the Additional Superintendent of Police, CB-CID (Special Wing), Gobichettipalayam, for interrogation for 15 days in both the cases, between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. every day. The Additional Director-General of Police, CB-CID, is directed to monitor the interrogation and ensure Mr. Gopal's safety". The Judge also asked him to surrender within 15 days from the date of receipt of a copy of the order.

While the petitioner argued that the investigation was motivated and the prosecution had no positive materials to substantiate its allegations against him, the Advocate-General N.R. Chandran and the Public Prosecutor I. Subramanian submitted that such malafide could not be attributed, and Mr. Gopal's apprehension of torture in custody was baseless.

However, Mr. Justice Nagappan said Mr. Gopal's apprehension of ill treatment and torture in police custody was found to be reasonable by the High Court earlier too.

Meanwhile, Justice P. Sathasivam today adjourned to March 10 two related petitions from Mr. Gopal, seeking to entrust the investigation of the two murder cases against him with the CBI. The cases are at present being handled by the CB-CID.

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