Kerala Minister gets bail

Palakkad, Kerala, Mar 28 (UNI) Kerala Electricity Minister A K Balan and M Chandran, MLA were today granted bail in connection with the arrest warrant issued against them for not being present in the local court when a judgement in a case, related to hisruption of train services, was delivered.

The Ottapalam First Class Magistrate Court granted the bail after the two appeared before it. The Palakkad Sessions Court had yesterday directed Mr Balan and Mr Chandran to appear before the Ottapalam Magistrate Court and seek bail.

The Magistrate's court had on March 25 sentenced Mr Balan and eight others for two years imprisonment on charges of obstructing train services during an agitation in December, 2000. It also issued an arrest warrant against Mr Balan and Mr Chandran for not being present in court when the judgement was delivered.

After getting bail, Mr Balan said he was not able to be present in the court when the judgement was delivered because of his preoccupations as a Minister and because the Assembly session was on.

He also said the court should have notified the Assembly Speaker of the arrest warrant against an MLA or a Minister, which it had not done.

UNI