MAYILADUTHURAI: The District and Sessions Court in Mayiladuthurai on Tuesday dismissed the bail petitions of three people who were arrested on charges of attempting to extort money from the Dharmapuram adheenam mutt seer by threatening to release “obscene" audio and video clips.
The bail petitions, filed by three of the four accused, were dismissed individually by District and Sessions Court Judge R Rajavel. When the matter came up for hearing on Tuesday, the accused - R Vinoth, N Kudiyarasu and R Srinivas - argued that the case was falsely hoisted on them and that the FIR was registered without mention of the date and place.
During the hearing, public prosecutor R Seyon argued that the bail applications were premature as the investigation was ongoing. According to sources, Vinoth kept ringing up the seer's brother and assistant, Viruthagiri, and threatened him saying that he was in possession of “obscene” clips of the mutt head. Vinoth threatened to upload them online were Viruthagiri not to pay up the money demanded.
Vinoth is also accused of issuing murder threats to the petitioner. Considering the nature of offences, the court dismissed his bail petition. While Srinivas argued that he was implicated purely based on Vinoth's confession, the public prosecutor cited Supreme Court guidelines saying the statement needs to be investigated for its veracity.
The judge concurred and dismissed Srinivas's plea. Kudiyarasu had sought bail saying he was a correspondent of a school and a diabetic patient. However, the court observed that Kudiyarasu's presence was not necessary as students in his school are currently writing public examination and rejected his application.
R Vignesh, a history-sheeter, arrested in connection with the case has not applied for bail yet. The police are on the lookout for at least five more people, including K Agoram, the district BJP president, who allegedly instigated the blackmailing.