In the toll plaza attack case, former Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss, who is the youth wing leader of the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK), was granted bail by Ulundurpet Judicial Magistrate-II on Wednesday.
As directed by the Madras High Court that had granted anticipatory bail to him last Saturday, Mr. Anbumani appeared before the Ulundurpet court and fulfilled all the bail conditions before Justice Muthuraman as put forth by the High Court.
He deposited a sum of Rs. 2 lakh to the credit of the criminal case filed against him and executed a bond for Rs. 20,000 with two sureties each for the like amount. The High Court had also directed him to report to the Ulundurpet police station for two days immediately after signing the bond and thereafter as and when required.
It may be noted that on the night of August 8 a motorcade consisting of three cars carrying Dr Ramadoss and partymen reached the Senguirichi toll plaza at Ulundurpet.
As there was some delay in clearing the vehicles by the toll plaza staff, the partymen grew restive and picked up quarrel with toll plaza staff.
However, after crossing the toll plaza the motorcade stopped at some distance and few partymen got down from the vehicles and rushed back to the toll plaza. They vented their ire by smashing the glass panes and computer kept in one of the counters there.
Ulundurpet police booked cases against Dr Ramadoss and eight partymen under various counts, including under the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act. Following the incident, three PMK cadre were arrested by the police.
Mr. Anbumani told reporters on the Ulundurpet court premises that he was not at all involved in the toll plaza incident and yet the police had named him in the case.
Soon after coming to know of the party men’s altercation with the toll plaza staff, he said he had asked the persons concerned to surrender to the police.
Mr. Anbumani alleged that the police tried to instigate the arrested partymen to drag his name also in the episode. As they did not relent, the police filed a case against him. However, he said, he would cooperate with the police.
