The Madras High Court today granted bail to an accused in a case relating to planting of a pipe bomb under the car parked in front of former Union minister V Narayanasamy's residence in Puducherry in 2014.
A division bench of justices A Selvam and Pon Kalaiyarasan granted bail to Thangaraj, a suspected member of the banned Tamil Nadu Liberation Army (TNLA) and one of the six accused in the case, on the appeal filed by him.
The bench in its order said, "In this case also the appellant moved an application for statutory bail after completion of 90 days and the same was returned. Thus immediately after completion of 90 days and before filing the charge sheet, the appellant exercised his right to grant of statutory bail."
"The custody without an order of the special judge beyond 90 days cannot be validated retrospectively. This ground alone is sufficed to enlarge the appellant on bail," he observed.
The appeal was filed challenging the orders passed on March 29 by the special court for National Investigation Agency (NIA) cases in Puducherry.
Thangaraj was arrested for offences under various sections of the Explosive Substances Act, Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and under Sec. 120-B of the IPC (criminal conspiracy) in January 2014.
The bench allowed the appeal and set aside the March 29 order of the special judge for NIA cases, Puducherry.
"The appellant may be released on bail on his executing a bond for Rs 10,000 with two sureties each for a like sum to the satisfaction of the special court judge," the bench said.
"He should appear before the trial court for every hearing as directed by it and surrender his passport," it added.
The incident took place when the security personnel on duty at the residence of the former minister had found a suspicious object suspected to be an explosive material below the car.
On his complaint, a case was registered and the bomb was defused by the bomb disposal team.
TNLA is a small group which came into existence after India had sent its forces to Sri Lanka.
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