Hearing on anticipatory bail petition by VC posted for July 11

Chennai, Jul 10 (UNI) Madras High Court today posted to July 11, the hearing on the anticipatory bail applications filed by former Vice-Chancellor of Madras University P T Manoharan, his wife, daughter and TV serial actress Nirmala, who apprehended arrest in connection with the death of Madhu Devi, daughter-in-law of Manoharan, who allegedly committed suicide due to dowry harrassment.

When the applications filed by Manoharan, his wife Kanagavalli, his daughter Uma Selvakumar and Nirmala came up for hearing before Mr Justice K N Basha, time was sought on behalf of the state by its counsel. Following this, the judge posted the case to tomorrow.

Meanwhile, D K Ganesh Babu, the complainant and brother of the deceased Madhu Devi filed an impleading petition, praying to dismiss these anticipatory bail applications.

In his petition, Ganesh Babu submitted that his sister was married to Naveenkumar, son of Manoharan on November 30, 2000 in Madurai. At the time of marriage, they forcibly demanded to part with 500 sovereigns of gold jewels, five lakh worth of silver articles and Rs one lakh cash.

After marriage, she was harrassed by them and treated her in the most inhumane manner. The deceased was tortured and harassed by her in-laws and even went to the extent of preventing her of leading a peaceful married life with her husband. At one time in 2002, his sister had attempted to commit suicide due to the continious dowry harassment and mental torture meted out to her. Hence his family brought her back home. The petitions filed by Naveenkumar for divorce were dismissed by the courts in Coimbatore and Chennai.

Due to the intervention of family friends and relatives and on the assurance and promise given, she decided to go back to her marital home. Ganesh Babu said his sister one day called him and said her husband was having an affair with TV artist Nirmala and he used to bring her to their matrimonial house and even started living like husband and wife in front of her sister. All the accused and Nirmala used to torture her for want of more dowry. When she questioned the same with her in-laws, they replied that what her husband doing was nothing wrong and if she wanted to continue to live in the house she has to tolerate all the things happening there.

Unable to bear the continous harassment and torture, she was forced to take the extreme step of snuffing out her own life by committing suicide by hanging after leaving a suicidal note, he added.

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