The Madras High Court on Thursday dismissed as ‘not pressed', a petition by the Sri Lankan Minister, Anandan alias Douglas Devananda, seeking anticipatory bail in a murder case in Chennai nearly 25 years ago.
The case relates to the murder of Thirunavukkarasu in a shootout at Choolaimedu on November 1, 1986. The Choolaimedu police had filed its objection to the anticipatory bail petition.
In the petition, Mr. Devananda submitted that he came to know that a proclamation was pending against him.
Not a proclaimed offender
He filed a petition before the Madras High Court. In its order in December 2010, the court declared that he was not a proclaimed offender in the case as pronounced by the trial court.
He was also directed to file an anticipatory bail petition.
He was ready to face trial and to abide by any condition imposed by the court.
In his order, Justice S. Nagamuthu said that since it was a serious crime, he was of the view that anticipatory bail could not be granted at this stage, that too when a non-bailable warrant had been issued against the petitioner.
The remedy
The remedy for the petitioner was, as observed by the High Court in an earlier proceeding, was to approach the trial court for recall of the warrant.
Following this observation, Mr. Devananda's counsel submitted that he was not pressing the petition. He sought liberty to work out his remedies before the trial court.
Counsel also made an endorsement to that effect.
Recording counsel's statement, Mr. Justice Nagamuthu said that in view of the endorsement, the petition was being dismissed as not pressed.
However, the judge granted liberty to the petitioner to approach the trial court for getting the warrant recalled.
