The Hindu : Front Page : Hubli court remands Uma Bharti

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Aug 26, 2004

Front Page

Hubli court remands Uma Bharti

By M. Madan Mohan

WAVING THE FLAG: Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Uma Bharti on her arrival at the Hubli railway station before surrendering in court on Wednesday. — AP

HUBLI, AUG. 25. The former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister and BJP leader, Uma Bharti, surrendered today before the Judicial Magistrate First Class IInd Court. She was remanded to judicial custody for 14 days as she refused to move for bail.

Initially, Ms. Bharti was to stay in the Hubli sub-jail, but subsequently the plan was to take her to the Central Jail, Hindalaga, Belgaum, because of the high category of security enjoyed by her.

However, later she was lodged in the Dharwad agricultural university guest house.

Ms. Bharti's surrender brings the curtain down on a prolonged controversy over her continued non-appearance before the court in a case registered 10 years ago.

The case was in connection with the incidents which took place during an agitation for flag-hoisting at the Idgah Maidan here during the Independence Day celebrations of 1994.

The proceedings before Mohammed Ismael, Judicial Magistrate, was brief as Ms. Bharti, who arrived at 9 a.m. by train, went to a kalyana mantap and completed her puja, before entering the court complex at 12.15 p.m.

The entire area around the court had been put under curfew and no one was allowed inside.

As she came out of the court, Ms. Bharti told the waiting newsmen that she was submitting to the judiciary with all humility. It was a case of "cheap politics." The Congress would have to pay a heavy price for whatever had been done.

Ananth Kumar, president of the Karnataka BJP, called for a statewide bandh tomorrow to protest against the Karnataka Government's efforts to "ferret out the case against Ms. Bharti."

Once Ms. Bharti appeared before the court and refused to seek bail, the proceedings practically came to an end with the rest of the time taken for the issue of the necessary court orders.

V.G. Patil, counsel for Ms. Bharti, told the court that an opportunity to solve the contentious issue had been lost. Dorairaju another counsel for the BJP, pleaded that one of the inspection bungalows be converted into a jail for housing Ms. Bharti. The court said that it had no powers to issue such orders as it was an administrative matter.

The magistrate accepted the plea on behalf of Ms. Bharti that some of her personnel be allowed to meet her as and when required.

Along with Ms. Bharti, four of the remaining 21 accused in the case also surrendered and they were also remanded to judicial custody.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Front Page

News Update

Stories in this Section

Two Russian planes crash, 90 killed

Manmohan talks tough to Opposition

Hubli court remands Uma Bharti

`Not aware of warrant till recently'

Assurance to Left

Anju qualifies

Schools closed in Manipur

Bid to move bill foiled in J&K

MLAs expelled in U.P.

Trading in TCS shares