Cholan sent to police custody

Principal Special Court for CBI cases today quashed the bail plea of Registrar of Companies M Manu Neethi Cholan, arrested by CBI on bribery charge, and remanded him to three days police custody.
When the matter came up for hearing, Additional Judge of special court for CBI cases J Krishnamoorthy dismissed the bail plea of Cholan stating that CBI had made sufficient cause for custodial interrogation.
The judge in his order said, "taking into consideration the facts and circumstances of the case and the material recovered from the accused, custodial interrogation is necessary for completing investigation in an effective manner."

The court then directed the jail authorities to hand over him to officials of Anti Corruption Bureau from September 3, at till September 6.
It also asked the ACB to make necessary arrangements like food and medical assistance (if required) for Cholan. The accused could not be mentally or physically tortured, said the court.
Also, according to the relevant provisions of the CrPC, it allowed Cholan to meet his advocate for 20 minutes between 10 AM to 11 AM and 5 PM to 6 PM. The judge then directed the ACB, CBI to produce Cholan before the Court at 2 PM on September 6.

Cholan was arrested on August 26 by CBI for allegedly demanding and accepting Rs 10 lakh as illegal gratification from noted industrialist M A M Ramaswami to declare null and void resolutions that may be passed at his Chettinadu Group of Companies' Annual General Meeting on August 27.
Besides the Rs 10 lakh, "incriminating" documents and a computer hard disc were seized from Cholan. Also, an amount of Rs 20 lakh was seized from Cholan's house.