The Madras High Court held a special sitting on Sunday and granted interim bail to a prisoner to take part in the rituals to be performed after his father's death on August 18.
Justice G. Jayachandran heard the matter in his chambers, after Chief Justice Munishwar Nath Bhandari granted permission for the special sitting, and granted interim bail for three days.
The petitioner Sathish was arrested by the Kancheepuram police on August 6 in a case booked under Section 399 (making preparation to commit dacoity) of the Indian Penal Code and sent to judicial custody.
Since his father died on August 18 and he was the only son, he had moved an urgent bail petition through his counsel D.R. Arun Kumar to participate in the rituals. However, the prosecution opposed his plea.
Government Advocate N.S. Suganthan told the court that the final rites were performed on August 20 itself and highlighted the threat to the petitioner's life from a rival gang.
It was brought to the notice of the court that two other cases were pending against the petitioner under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985, and hence it might not be advisable to grant bail.
After hearing both sides, the judge granted interim bail on own bond and with police escort. He made it clear that the petitioner should attend the rituals and surrender before the prison authorities on August 24.
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