Justice M Nirmal Kumar, granting the interim relief to Bhalaji, also gave a similar relief in respect of another AIADMK ex-minister V Saroja.

The reliefs were given by the judge when the anticipatory bail applications from the duo came up today. The charge against Bhalaji, the then Dairy Development Minister in the previous AIADMK regime, and Saroja, former Social Welfare Minister, was that they had collected large sums of money from job aspirants. They neither provided the jobs as promised nor returned the money.

When the matter came up today, State Public Prosecutor prayed for more time to file detailed counter-affidavits. And the judge adjourned the matter till November 24. Till then, they should not be subjected to any harassment or arrested, the judge orally added.