BENGALURU: Anticipating their arrest by Mangaluru South police, five accused, including two MLAs, two corporators and a leader of Vishwa Hindu Parishad, moved the special court for the trial of criminal cases against former and sitting MPs/MLAs, seeking anticipatory bail over the crime registered against them.
Based on a complaint by Anil Gerald Lobo on February 14, the police had registered the FIR against them for allegedly inciting people and assembling near St Gerosa High School at Valencia in Mangaluru. The protest was held after an audio message went viral stating that teacher Sister Prabha had hurt the sentiments of Hindus by demeaning their Gods.
The accused are Vedavyas Kamath, MLA of Mangaluru South and Dr Y Bharath Shetty, MLA of Mangaluru North, Sharan Kumar alias Sharan Pumpwell, VHP leader, and two Mangaluru corporators -- Sandeep and Bharath Kumar.
A senior counsel, representing the accused, contended that allegations of MLAs inciting people to violence are not forthcoming in the entire complaint as no such incident took place. Only to cover up the misdeeds of Sister Prabha, as an afterthought, the complaint was filed two days after the alleged incident, he argued.
The public prosecutor said she required time to get instructions from the Mangaluru police and orally objected to the grant of interim bail.
Judge Santhosh Gajanan Bhat said at this juncture, the petitioners have made grounds for granting interim bail. The court granted them relief, stating that interim bail will be in force till the disposal of the petition. The petitioners shall not tamper or threaten the prosecution witnesses and the petitioners shall not indulge in similar offences, the court noted.
Issuing notice to the state, the hearing of the anticipatory bail petition was adjourned for February 20.