MADURAI: S R Gopi, a member of the DMK's chief executive committee, surrendered before the district court here on Friday over a land grab case. He was remanded in judicial custody till August 12.According to sources, Gopi surrendered before Judicial Magistrate Court I in connection with a case registered by the district crime branch, based on a complaint by a couple, Pappa and Sivanandi, alleging that they were threatened and beaten up to sell their 5.14acre land in Senkulam village for a paltry sum. They pointed fingers at several key DMK men, including DMK's chief executive committee member 'Pottu' Suresh and urban district secretary G Thalapathi and tahsildar Manickam.Gopi then moved the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court seeking anticipatory bail. Justice R Mala, who heard the petition, passed an order that Gopi should not be arrested until July 26, as the prosecution had failed to respond to the petition claiming that it had not received full details of the case. After it came up for hearing on July 26, the case was adjourned first to July 28 and later to August 5.Gopi reportedly surrendered fearing threat to his life. Magistrate Muthukumaran ordered the police to produce him before the court on August 12 for further hearing. Gopi is lodged in the Central Prison in Tiruchy.
Gopi was one of the 13 accused booked for the murder of former DMK minister T Kiruttinan. He was, however, later acquitted.
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