MADURAI: The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Wednesday granted bail to social activist Mugilan in the Karur sexual assault case.
Justice GR Swaminathan, who passed the order, observed that the explanation given by the activist for his disappearance is a concocted story. However, he also pointed out, "Though the allegations in the case are no doubt serious in nature, it is quite obvious that the defacto complainant and Mugilan were in a consensual relationship since 2017 and the complaint had been filed only in March 2019."
The judge also noted that the petitioner has participated and led several protests against the Jallikattu ban, Sterlite and hydrocarbon projects among others.
"It appears that the petitioner, like Abhimanyu of the epic Mahabharata (who died after being trapped in Chakravyuha), was caught up in a Manmadha Vyugam and could not come out of it," the judge opined. But he held that Mugilan deserves bail and allowed his petition.
Considering the apprehensions made by the State Public Prosecutor Natarajan and the counsel appearing for the defacto complainant that Mugilan might once again abscond, the judge further directed him to sign before the concerned police at 10.30 am once in two days.
The activist was arrested at Tirupati railway station on July 6, 2019, soon after he resurfaced after disappearing for five months, based on a complaint filed by a 38-year-old woman from Karur who alleged that he had a physical relationship with her by making false promises to marry her.