Former AIADMK minister M Manikandan granted bail in sexual assault case

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Wednesday granted conditional bail to former AIADMK minister M Manikandan who was arrested on charges of raping and cheating a Malaysian actress.  Justice M Nirmal Kumar ordered the former minister to be released on bail by surrendering his passport, executing two sureties for a sum of Rs 10,000 and appearing before the investigating officer every day for two weeks and whenever he is called.

According to the prosecution, the duo had been living together though Manikandan was married. Manikandan had sexual relations with her on the pretext of marriage after divorcing his wife. The complainant also submitted in the court that she got pregnant thrice and was forced to abort by the minister. The prosecution also said that Manikandan was arrested from Bengaluru on June 20 under various sections of IPC and Section 67A of IT Act.

However, the counsel for the minister argued that a substantial portion of the investigation is over and assured the court that he will “not evade from justice and shall abide by any condition”. He stated that the case was filed out of political vendetta. 

Justice M Nirmal Kumar in his orders noted “that the duo was in a relationship from May 2017 to April 2021 was not in dispute.” The court said that the complainant had the intelligence to understand what she was consenting to. “The de facto complainant was well aware of the consequence that the marriage between her and the petitioner would not take place,” said the judge. 

“Thus leading to the inference that she freely, voluntarily and consciously consented to have sexual intercourse with the petitioner and her consent was not in consequence of any misconception of fact and they were living together as man and wife. Thus, there is a clear distinction between rape and consensual sex,” he added.