BENGALURU: Former minister and BJP MLA Byrathi Basavaraj on Wednesday moved the Karnataka High Court, seeking anticipatory bail in the Bikla Shiva murder case.
The move comes a day after the special court for trial of criminal cases against sitting and former MPs/MLAs in the city rejected his anticipatory bail petition.
After considering the arguments of both sides, the special court had said that the HC, while dismissing the writ petition of Byrathi, observed that custodial interrogation is a legal option available to the investigating agency, and there is no reason to deny such exercise of power. Hence, by appreciating the said aspects, the petitioner has not made out grounds for admission to anticipatory bail, the special court had observed.
On Friday, the HC rejected the anticipatory bail petition of Basavaraj while quashing the order invoking the provisions of Karnataka Control of Organised Crime Act (KCOCA) in the crime. While doing so, the HC had granted him liberty to approach the special court for anticipatory bail.
Byrathi, who is absconding now, said in the petition filed in the HC that the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) filed the charge sheet on December 22 against 18 accused and left him out. The special court, taking an erroneous view of the facts and circumstances of the case, rejected the advance bail petition filed by him on Tuesday. Also, the persons having political vengeance against him have enacted the incident for political gain, he said.