BANGALORE: The High Court on Tuesday ordered the release of B V Seetharam, a Mangalore- based journalist, who was arrested by the Udupi police in connection with six criminal cases. The Court directed its registry to secure the case records filed against Seetaram in the lower courts.
A division bench comprising Justice S R Bannura Math and Justice A N Venugopala Gowda came down heavily on the state government for illegal detention of Seetharam.
While hearing the habeas corpus petition filed by Rohini, wife of Seetharam, the court found that the police had not produced the accused before the court after his judicial custody order expired on January 17. On January 4, the police arrested Seetharam in connection with six criminal and defamation cases filed against him for publishing ‘defamatory’ articles in his evening daily ‘Karavali Ale’ “Why did you (state) issue a body warrant against the accused when he was in your custody? Why did you not produce him before the lower court after January 17? If body warrants are not executed in other cases, why was it not recalled?” the court questioned Udaya Holla, Advocate General. “If the accused is ailing, he should not be kept in jail wards of the government hospital and the jail authorities should shift him to the hospital,” the bench observed.
The Advocate General sought time to go through the order sheet of the lower court regarding custody of Seetharam. The court while adjourning the hearing of the case to February 6 directed the state government to file a detail affidavit by the senior police officer.
A K Subbaiah, advocate appearing for Rohini, argued that the state government has no defense in the case. From January 17, the police have been illegally detaining Seetaram.