A judge of the Ariyalur district sessions court on Wednesday granted anticipatory bail to a petitioner, but not without a caveat — he should in turn uproot 100 seemai karuvelam (Prosopis juliflora) trees in his village within 20 days.
The judge, A.K.A. Rahman, passed the order when the petitioner, K. Rajendran of Maruvathur, sought anticipatory bail in a case registered against him by the Koovagam police on the basis of a complaint filed by Anbarasi, a resident of the same village.
Two options
He had been booked under sections 294 (b) (uttering obscene words), 323 (causing hurt), 354 (A) (making sexual remarks) and 506/2 of the Indian Penal Code.
While granting anticipatory bail, the judge said that the petitioner should clear at least 100 seemai karuvelam trees in his village, either on his own or by employing others. He could also use machinery to clear the trees.
However, he should complete the task within 20 days. He should then produce a compliance report along with photographs and a certificate obtained from the Village Administrative Officer concerned.
‘Good precedent’
Public prosecutor P. Shanmugam noted that the judge, in his order, had said that the anticipatory bail would stand cancelled if the petitioner fails to comply with the condition.
The judge had also agreed to consider his submission that a similar condition could be imposed on people seeking bail in other cases as well.
