Veerappan's wife questioned in Rajkumar case

The wife of slain forest brigand Veerappan was on Friday questioned by a court in Gobicheetipalayam in the district during the trial in a case relating to the kidnapping of Kannada thespian Rajkumar in 2000.

Muthulakshmi, facing charges of receiving a portion of the ransom paid for the release of Rajkumar, was questioned by Fast Track Court Judge K Krishnan in the case relating to ransom got in exchange for the release of Rajkumar.

The trial in the case began on Thursday when Govindaraj, the brother in-law of Rajkumar, Nagappa an assistant of the actor, and Nagesh and Subramani, also abducted along with the star, were questioned by the Judge.

Rajkumar was abducted by Veerappan and his associates from his farm house at Dhodda Gajanure in Thalawady on July 19, 2000 and released after 108 days in captivity. Police had filed a case in 2003 against 24 persons, including Veerappan and Muthulakshmi relating to sharing of the ransom.

According to the chargesheet, Veerappan had received huge ransom for release of Rajkumar and shared it with his wife and others. But Muthulakshmi and his relatives have denied the charge.

Veerappan, wanted by both Tamil Nadu and Karnataka police in connection with several cases, was killed by Special Task Force in an encounter on October 18, 2004 in Tamil Nadu's Dharmapuri District.