DMK MP surrenders before TN court in murder case

The 50-year old MP appeared before a Judicial Magistrate Court in Panruti, about 25 kilometres from here and he was remanded to judicial custody till Wednesday. Later, he was lodged in a sub-jail in the district. The Lok Sabha MP from Cuddalore has been named in an FIR in the alleged murder of Govindarasu, an employee in his cashew unit off Panruti in Cuddalore district.

Cuddalore (TN):T R V S Ramesh, DMK Lok Sabha MP representing Cuddalore constituency, on Monday surrendered before a court near here in a murder case probed by the CB-CID.

The 50-year old MP appeared before a Judicial Magistrate Court in Panruti, about 25 kilometres from here and he was remanded to judicial custody till Wednesday. Later, he was lodged in a sub-jail in the district.

A police officer told PTI that following the outcome of COVID-19 test, which is expected by tomorrow, he would be lodged in the Cuddalore Central Prison.

Ramesh would be produced before the Chief Judicial Magistrate court in Panruti on Wednesday, he added.

The Lok Sabha MP from Cuddalore has been named in an FIR in the alleged murder of Govindarasu, an employee in his cashew unit off Panruti in Cuddalore district.

Already, five men including Ramesh's assistant have been arrested in connection with the worker's alleged murder last month. Police had claimed that they were on the lookout for him while he surrendered today.

Ramesh has been booked under various sections of the IPC including murder, wrongful restraint and conspiracy and for causing disappearance of evidence and CB-CID is probing the case.

Govindarasu, a PMK office-bearer, had been working in the cashew unit owned by Ramesh in Cuddalore district for the past about seven years.

The cashew nut unit management had claimed that "Govindarasu died by suicide" and initially police probed it as a "death under suspicious circumstances". Later, the case was taken up by the CB-CID and the issue also went to the Madras High Court.

PMK founder leader Ramadoss had alleged that if not arrested, Ramesh would tamper with evidence and urged the CB-CID to immediately arrest him.

Ahead of his surrender, Ramesh said he would legally prove that the accusation levelled against him was baseless.

He said he was anguished about a false propaganda against his party by "some political parties due to political vendetta," which was based on an FIR against him.

The MP, in a statement, said he was surrendering before the court so as to not give room to those who wanted to hurl accusations at his party-led regime, steered by DMK president and Chief Minister M K Stalin, who is providing good governance.

PTI