The Madras High Court on Thursday granted conditional anticipatory bail to DMK MLA Senthil Balaji in connection with a criminal intimidation case filed against him. The MLA had threatened the Karur District Collector by barging into the latter’s office with 25 others on May 12.
He is said to have raised questions in a high handed manner to the Karur Collector T. Anbalagan for not inviting him to the review meeting related to COVID19 in his capacity as MLA of Aravakurichi constituency.
The Collector had lodged a complaint with the Thanthonimalai police and the MLA was booked under Sections 506 (2) (criminal intimidation), 147 (rioting), 270 (malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life), 294 b (uttering obscene words), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) of the Indian Penal Code.
Senior counsel for Senthi Balaji submitted that the allegations were false and baseless.
Justice Nirmal Kumar who granted the anticipatory bail directed the DMK MLA to deposit ₹1 lakh to the account of Adyar Cancer Institute and appear before the Karur CB-CID office for two weeks.
Earlier senior leaders of the DMK, Dayanidhi Maran and T.R Baalu rushed to the Madras High Court to get anticipatory bail following the arrest of DMK Rajya Sabha MP R.S. Bharathi who had made disparaging comments over Dalits.