[Theni Land Scam case] Madras High Court grants bail to Zonal Deputy Tahsildar

The Madurai bench of the Madras High Court on Monday granted bail to a suspended Zonal Deputy Tahsildar who was arrested in connection with a land scam case in Theni District, wherein several acres of government land were illegally transferred to private individuals without following proper procedure.

While granting bail, Justice P. Velmurugan directed Mohanram to report before the police as when required for interrogation.

Court also noted that the other co-accused in the case had been released on bail from various courts and that the investigation is almost complete.

Mohanram was arrested by the Theni CB-CID and remanded to judicial custody on May 5, 2022, under Sections 409, 465, 466, 477(a), 468, 471, 472, 109 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Section 13(2), 13(1)(c), Section13(1)d)(i) of Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 13(2) read with Section 13(1)(a) of the Prevention of Corruption Act(Amendment) Act, 2018.

The prosecution's case is that the government lands were illegally transferred to private individuals, mostly to the relatives of the government officials.

As per media reports, the Periyakulam Sub-collector filed a complaint with the Theni Superintendent of Police alleging that government poramboke lands in Thamaraikulam and Vadaveeranaickenpatti villages were transferred without proper applications and procedures.

In December 2021, 14 people were charged in the case, including eight government officials and AAIDMK functionary Anna Prakash, the pattas were canceled, and the officials were suspended. Following that, the cases were transferred to Theni CB-CID.

Case Title: Mohanram v. The State, through The Deputy Superintendent of Police