He was facing charges under IPC Sec 420 read with Mines and Minerals regulations act, 1952, for allegedly mining gravel worth Rs 30 lakh in Iyyampalayam village in Dindigul district without permission and causing loss to the government.
Granting bail, Justice R S Ramanathan directed the former minister to obtain bail by executing bond for Rs 10,000 with two sureties each for the like sum.
He was also directed to appear before the Pattiveeranpatti police station, where the cases were registered, daily at 10.30 am and sign there until further orders and also cooperate in the investigation of the case.
The Judge said the confessions of the Muralidharan, the first accused and Sathish Kumar, the seventh accused, who sold the explosives for quarrying to another person, showed that none of them had seen the petitioner getting money from the illegal mining.