Ex-Kerala minister gets bail in molestation case

Chennai, May 24: Former Kerala minister P J Joseph was today granted bail by a Judicial Magistrate court in connection with a sexual molestation case against him.

Joseph, the former PWD minister, appeared before Alandur Judicial Magistrate court. The Magistrate N Ramanathan, after recording his apperance, granted him bail on furnishing of two sureties.

The Magistrate then adjourned the case to June 2 for further hearing and directed Joseph to appear before the court on that day.

Meanwhile, Joseph filed a petition before the court seeking to dispense with his personal appearance. The petition will be taken up for hearing on June two.

Joseph was charged with sexually molesting a TV actress Lakshmi Gopakumar on board a flight while travelling to Kochi from Chennai two years back.

Acting on a complaint from the actor, police registered a case and an inquiry was conducted by IG Sandhya, who later submitted her report to the court.

Based on this, the court issued summons last month directing him to appear today.

UNI