HC relaxes bail conditions of Veerappan's brother, associates

The Madras High Court today relaxed bail conditions of forest brigand Veerappan's brother Madhaiyan and nine others in a case of receiving some amount of the ransom after abducting Kannada thespian late Rajkumar in 2000.
A sessions court had sentenced Madhaiyan and nine others in the case to undergo imprisonment of one year following which they filed a plea in the high court.
The court suspended the sentence in 2012 and directed them to appear before the judicial magistrate court at Sathyamangalam on the first working day of every month.
Submitting that they had been complying with the condition, they filed the present petition to relax the bail conditions. They said they were farm labourers and were finding it difficult to commute every month from Mettur to Sathyamangalam.

Relaxing the conditions, Justice R Mala said they could appear before the magistrate court at Sathyamangalam once in three months, instead of every month.
Police had alleged that 11 people, including Veerappan and Madhaiyan, conspired and abducted Rajkumar and three others from the actor's farm house at Kajanur Thottam, and kept them in illegal custody till November 14,2000.
According to police, Veerappan received Rs 15 crore in three installments and had given a portion of the ransom amount to Madhaiyan and other accused.
The sessions court found them guilty of only receiving stolen property and imposed one year prison term besides a fine.