The Madras High Court on Tuesday granted bail till August 30 to Jeppiaar, co-trustee of the Jeppiaar Remibai Educational Trust, who had been arrested in a case relating to the collapse of a section of construction at a college in Kunnam, Kancheepuram on August 6.
Ten persons died in the incident that occurred at the Jeppiaar Institute of Technology (JIT). Mr. Jeppiaar was arrested on August 9 for offences under Sections 338 (causing grievous hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others), 304 (ii) (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), and 308 (attempt to commit culpable homicide) of IPC.
Justice G.M. Akbar Ali said that Mr. Jeppiaar should execute a bond for Rs. 1 lakh with two sureties for the like sum to the satisfaction of the Judicial Magistrate, Sriperumbudur. He should be admitted to the Christian Medical College Hospital, Vellore. He should cooperate in the enquiry or investigation. In his bail application, Mr. Jeppiaar said he was suffering from a serious ailment and that his health was deteriorating.
The officer in charge of JIT should deposit Rs. 2.5 lakh as ex-gratia in the names of each of the families of the victims in the court of the JM, Sriperumbudur, and also Rs. 50,000 each to the injured. The JM should deposit the sum in any one of the nationalised banks for one year if nobody came forward to receive the amount. The Sunkuvarchatram police should inform the District Social Welfare Officer, Kancheepuram, about the deposit. The sum should be distributed to the victims’ families on production of appropriate proof to the JM’s satisfaction within one year.
Mr. Justice Akbar Ali made it clear that the amount payable to the legal heirs of the deceased as well as the injured was only an ex-gratia payment. Such payment/disbursal was independent of any other claim that might be raised by the members of the bereaved families or injured persons under any other law.
The police should file a status report on the investigation in the matter. The authorities should file their objections by August 30 the court said, and adjourned the matter to that day.
Meanwhile, the court granted anticipatory bail to Remibai, wife of Jeppiaar, in the case.
