The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has dismissed the bail pleas of six men from Thoothukudi district who had restrained health officials from discharging their duty. The accused had restrained the health officials from securing a man suspected of COVID-19, for quarantine.
Justice P. Velmurugan dismissed the bail pleas of Anis, Mydeen, Asik, Mohamed Yusuf, Navaskhan and Jalal from Kayathar who were booked under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, the Disaster Management Act and the Epidemic Diseases Act. They are currently remanded in judicial custody.
The petitioners refuted the allegations levelled against them stating that they had only gone out to buy essential commodities, where they had picked up a quarrel with the policemen. Following this a false case was registered against them, they claimed.
However, the case of the prosecution was that the men had obstructed and prevented Health Officials from discharging their duties. The men had restrained the officials from securing a man suspected of COVID-19, for quarantine.
The judge observed that considering the pandemic situation and the serious nature of the offence committed by the men, the court was not inclined to grant bail to the petitioners. The court dismissed the bail petitions of the six men.
