Dindigul college correspondent booked under POCSO Act gets bail late at night

Released at night after surrendering passport; to report to cops daily
Image for representational purpose. ( Express Illustration)
Image for representational purpose. ( Express Illustration)

MADURAI: Less than a week after ordering judicial custody, Dindigul Mahila Court granted bail to the private nursing college correspondent, one P Jothimurugan, who was booked under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012, following students’ complaints. He was released on bail on Saturday night.

Alleging that many girl students were sexually abused by Jothimurugan, the students of the private nursing college in Muthanampatti staged a protest on November 19. Of the three students who came forward to file a police complaint, two were aged below 18. Following the protests, the college was closed indefinitely. Meanwhile, Jothimurugan surrendered at Polur Judicial Magistrate Court in Thiruvannamalai on November 23 and was locked in the Vellore Central Prison. 

According to sources, a bail petition was filed on behalf of Jothimurugan at Dindigul Mahila Court last week. On Saturday, he was taken from Palani sub-jail to Dindigul Government Hospital at 8.30 pm as he was allegedly sick. The Mahila Court Judge S Purushothaman, who reviewed the bail petition on Saturday, granted the bail at night on conditions of him surrendering his passport and paying the bail amount of Rs 20,000. He ordered that Jothimurugan should sign at the Vadamadurai police station every day.

N Ilango, General Secretary of Madurai Bench of Madras High Court Bar Association, said that the first Saturday of all subordinate courts is a working day. “There might be several reasons for the order to be passed during the night hours and it is totally within the discretionary power of the court. The bail order should be submitted to the prison authorities on the same day, failing which, it would be considered illegal custody. However, the prisoners are not released after 6 pm usually as the prisoners’ count is already submitted for the day before 6 pm. Even if the bail was granted on a Saturday night, the prison authorities should have released the prisoner on Monday,” he added. 

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