8 held for murder of ministers associate

PUDUCHERRY: The CBI on Thursday arrested eight persons in connection with the 2006 murder of Muruganandam, an associate of School Education Minister C Ve Shanmugam, in Chengalpet.According to information available here, the eight, including Gopi, Natarajan, Ilanchezhiyan and Pannerselvam, were arrested by the CBI, which was handed over the investigation into the case following a Madras High Court order.All the arrested were remanded in judicial custody for 15 days after being produced before the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) court in Chengalpet.Muruganandam, a close relative of  C Ve Shanmugam, was murdered in a clash between AIADMK and PMK cadre on May 8, 2006.    The clash was a fallout of a bitter political rivalry between PMK founder Dr S Ramadoss and C Ve Shanmugam of the AIADMK.An FIR was registered in this connection against 15 persons, including Dr Ramadoss, his son Anbumani Ramadoss, Prathiban and his brother Srinivasan.