Madurai District Court has granted bail to a man, accused of murdering a 70-year-old woman in Melur. The court took into account the fact that the accused had an ageing mother who was not keeping well.
Principal District Judge A. Nazeema Banu granted bail to A. Muthukaruppan with conditions.
The case of the prosecution was that the man, after murdering the woman, made away with her gold ornaments and cash after dumping the body in a bush.
The court observed that a substantial part of the investigation would have been over by this stage and with the man in judicial custody for 72 days, it was inclined to grant bail on conditions, in the view of the emergent situation arisen on account of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The petitioner was ordered to be enlarged on bail on executing own bond for ₹10,000 to the satisfaction of the Superintendent of Madurai Central Prison.
The court directed him to surrender before the Judicial Magistrate after four weeks, to execute a fresh bond.
Further, the court directed him to cooperate with the investigation and not to threaten witnesses in the case. If there was any violation of the conditions, the investigating officer could move the court seeking cancellation of bail, the court said.
