Gutkha manufacture: HC declines bail to ex-panchayat chief

The Madras High Court has refused to grant bail to Thalapathy Murugesan, former president of Kannammapalayam panchayat union in Coimbatore district, who has been arrested on the charge of abetting manufacture of gutkha at a local factory.

Justice R M T Teekaaraman dismissed the bail application from Murugesan recently after perusing the confessional statement of another accused who is the manager of the Gutkha factory.

"Taking into account the nature and gravity of the offence and also certain facts leading to the arrest of the petitionerthat has come to light in respect of this petitioner at preliminary stage, I am not inclined to grant bail to the petitioner for the present.

"... this petition seeking bail is dismissed for the present," the judge said.

"From the records, it is seen that at the time of arrest, the manager had given the confession statement and thereafter, to unearth the further involvement of the other persons and also to ascertain the modus operandi, the local police had sought his police custody, which was granted for six days from May 4 last.

It appears that on May 6, he had given the confession statement and based upon which, the police has come to aconclusion that Murugesan was involved in an offence and he had abetted and aided the said activities of the absconding first accused," the judge said.

Murugesan had, thereby, committed criminal conspiracy and other offences under the Cigarette and other Tobacco Products Act, 2003, the court added.