The Kerala High Court on Friday granted bail to Tenny Joppan, former private secretary of Chief Minster Oommen Chandy, and actor Shalu Menon in the solar scam case.

Justice S.S. Satheesachandran ordered that bail be granted to Tenny Joppan on his executing a bond for  Rs 50,000 and two solvent sureties for the like amount.

The other conditions for bail were that they should  appear before investigating officers as and when required; that they should not leave the State for six months or till the completion of the investigation.

 Shalu Menon had been asked to execute a bond for Rs 1 lakh and two solvent sureties for the like amount. She was also asked to appear before the investigating officer every Monday for 8 weeks or till the completion of the investigation.

 When the petition of Tenny Joppan came up for hearing, the Advocate General submitted that he had no objection to bail being granted to Joppan. The investigation in the case against Joppan was almost complete and his further detention was not required for concluding the investigation.

However, he had opposed bail to Shalu Menon. He submitted that investigation was steadily progressing and if she was granted  bail at this stage, it would materially affect the investigation.

Granting Shalu Menon bail, the court observed that her continued detention was not necessary.

gopakumar.kc@thehindu.co.in

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