BENGALURU: The High Court has denied anticipatory bail to a driver and a conductor of the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation, who allegedly insulted a woman checking officer and used criminal force against her.
The incident took place nearly two months ago when inspector Radha entered a bus plying in HSR Layout police limits to check for ticketless passengers.
The accused are conductor Krishnappa (35) and driver B R Ashok Kumar (31), attached to depot-15 in Koramangala.
Following the incident, the duo filed a petition in the High Court seeking anticipatory bail. However, Justice A V Chandrashekar dismissed their plea on December 7.
According to a complaint registered by Radha in HSR Layout police station, Krishnappa abused her verbally in front of all the passengers and the trip sheet she had was torn to pieces and thrown out of the bus.
Meanwhile, despite her repeated requests, Kumar did not stop the vehicle.
The two men have been booked under various sections of the Indian Penal Code on charges of wrongful restraint, voluntarily causing hurt, criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of her duty, intentional insult with intent to provoke, criminal intimidation, using criminal force on woman with the intent to outrage her modesty, and destruction of evidence.
In his verdict, Justice A V Chandrashekar said, “Taking into consideration the serious allegations made against the conductor and the driver...this is not a fit case to grant anticipatory bail at this stage.”
However, he said despite the dismissal of this petition, the two men were at liberty to approach the sessions judge or the High Court itself directly under Section 439 of the Criminal Procedure Code soon after surrendering before the police or the court. The judge also noted that if a regular bail application is filed before the Sessions judge, it would be considered without undue delay as the offences are neither punishable by death nor life imprisonment.
When Express contacted Radha, she just said, “The incident took place two months ago.” She sought more time to give her response to the bail plea rejection.