Return my passport: Durai Dayanidhi's plea to Madras HC

Chennai, Mar 23: Durai Dayanidhi, son of former union minister MK Alagiri and one of the main accused in the granite quarrying

, appealed to the

bench of the

on Saturday to direct a lower court to return his passport so that he can go abroad for business purposes.

In his petition, Durai averred that he has not flouted any of the bail conditions. Citing his strong roots in Tamil Nadu, the grandson of DMK supremo M Karunanidhi noted that he cannot but return to the state and the police need not be concerned on this account.

Durai promised that he would not evade arrest. Pointing out that he would suffer a huge loss if the court does not allow him to immediately take care of his business interests abroad, he pleaded for a direction to the Judicial Magistrate in Melur to return his passport. Durai's petition is likely to be heard next week.

Melur Judicial Magistrate V Jayakumar issued a non-bailable warrant against Durai in Oct 2012 as he did not surrender before the police despite being summoned several times.

Durai had earlier been charged Durai, co-owner of Olympus Granites Pvt Ltd, with encroaching on government land that is adjacent to the company's plot.

Durai and his business partner Nagarajan were therefore booked under Sec 120 (B) - criminal conspiracy, Sec 447 - criminal tresspass, and Sec 420 - cheating.

The quarrying scam was unearthed by former Madurai Collector U Sahayam. He found that Olympus Granites and some other private firms first operated near government mines. The companies later started quarrying on government land and brought back the illegally mined granite to their own stockyards.

Sahayam estimated that the scam caused a loss of Rs 16,000 crore to the exchequer.

The investigating officer has already told the trial court that three Tamil Nadu Minerals Limited officials entered into a conspiracy with Durai for quarrying granite without permission.

However, the Madras High Court accepted Durai's prayer for anticipatory bail on Dec 10. He was asked to surrender his passport and appear daily at the Melur Police station until further orders.

OneIndia News