CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Thursday granted conditional bail to DMK MLA L Idhayavarman and 11 others who were arrested in connection with a firing incident near Mamallapuram over a property dispute.

The court while granting the bail directed the MLA to pay Rs 3 lakh to the Adyar Cancer Institute and report to the Vellore town police daily.

Justice N Satish Kumar granted the bail after going through the investigation diary made by the inspector at the Thiruporur police station on the case.

The State PP A Natarajan argued, "A broader and deeper investigation has to be carried out to find out the source of the weapons and ammunition and whether he has connections with any prohibited agency/elements".

The defence counsel Shanmugasundaram said, "When a father is attacked, it is natural for a son to act in his defence. The firing happened only as an act of self-defence."

The judge queried the statement made by the prosecution for a deeper probe on the possession of cartridges and illegal arms by the accused. The injuries on the victims were not serious in nature as claimed by the prosecution and the accused had also already applied for renewing the licence of the guns in their possession, observed the court.

The victims were discharged on the same day after receiving first aid treatment at a private hospital, contended the defence counsel. Also, with another accused granted bail, the court is of the view that the legislator can also be granted bail with certain conditions imposed, it observed.

Justice Sathish Kumar granting the bail directed the accused to deposit a sum of Rs 3 lakhs at the Adyar Cancer Institute as a fine. Since the state PP contended that the presence of the DMK MLA in the village will create a problem, the judge directed the legislator to stay put at Vellore. The judge recording the submissions granted the bail with conditions imposed.