India News | Ex-minister Facing Charges of Sexual Assault Seeks Advance Bail

Chennai, June 2 (PTI) Former AIADMK minister Dr M Manikandan, fearing arrest in a sexual harassment case, moved the Madras High Court on Wednesday seeking anticipatory bail.

Following a complaint from a woman, a case against him was registered by the police for offences, including cheating and rape.

Denying the charges, Manikandan submitted that the complainant was very well aware that he is a married man and claimed she was in a consensual relationship with him.

Hence, the consent was an active one as she was aware of the consequences of the alleged relationship. Hence, the offences under sections dealing with rape and cheating cannot be sustained.

She has been threatening him to extort money with a few persons and there was no material prima facie to make out a case under this section, the petitioner claimed.

He further alleged the complainant is an extortionist and operates a gang to set up honey traps for vulnerable persons in society.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)