Saravana Stores owners get bail

Chennai, Sep 22 (UNI) Madras High Court today granted bail to the owners of Saravana Stores which caught fire on September one claiming two lives.

Granting bail to S Yogarathinam, S Rajarathinam and Shanmugadurai, Mr Justice R Regupathi laid down conditions and directed them to produce sureties for Rs 25,000 each and another two sureties for like sum.

The judge also directed them to appear before the investigation officer daily until further orders.

In a common bail petition, the owners said the fire might be due to sabotage.

''This angle has to be investigated by the Mambalam Police thoroughly,'' they submitted.

The owners said they had not committed any offence much less the offence of culpable homicide not amounting to murder.

They further said even if proved they were negligent and due to such negligence, the deaths were caused, the offence would be one under Section 304 A (rash and negligent act) of IPC and not under 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder).

They further submitted the de facto complainants, Selvam and Jebasing, were already enlarged on bail by the High Court.

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