The Madras High Court has ordered a stay on the trial in a “horse-trading” case registered by the Triplicane police, until August 27.
The case stems from a complaint by Ilaiyaraja, an MLA from Uthangarai in Krishnagiri district, who alleged that some people spoke to him over the phone and offered Rs 35 crore to persuade him to change party and vote accordingly.
In the case, 14 people—including Thirunavukkarasu, who had been running an election opinion survey firm—were arrested. Two accused, Sethuraj and Karthik, moved the High Court seeking transfer of the investigation to the CBI.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice S.A. Dharmadhikari and Justice G. Arul Murugan noted that accused persons have been filing petitions one after another seeking a CBI probe, and therefore stayed the proceedings in the Triplicane police case until August 27. The court directed the Tamil Nadu government and the CBI to file their responses and posted the matter for further hearing on August 27.
Separately, Justice G.K. Ilanthiraiyan granted bail to six arrested persons—Thirunavukkarasu, Thyagarajan, Rajesh, Ganeshan, Srinivasan and Selvam—and granted anticipatory bail to four others, including Deepak, Selvarangam Murugan, Azhagesan and Sakthivel.
