Karnataka - Bangalore   

HC reserves order on Seetharam's bail plea

Staff Reporter

`The petitioners could further damage the fragile peace and harmony in the communally sensitive coastal districts'

BANGALORE: The Karnataka High Court on Thursday reserved orders on anticipatory bail applications of journalist B.V. Seetharam and his wife, Rohini, even as the State opposed it saying they are writers, editors, printers, publishers and distributors of Kannada dailies Karavali Ale, Sanje Ale and Kannada Janataranga and that these newspapers had published articles defaming a Jain seer and making derogatory statements against him.

State Public Prosecutor (SPP) S. Dore Raju said Mr. Seetharam and his wife were responsible for the articles in the newspapers and that that the articles had inflamed the passions of not only the Jain community, but also others.

Filing a statement of objections, he said the petition was not maintainable as both Mr. Seetharam and his wife had only made vague allegations against the State and had not furnished all the details in their petition. Besides, the anticipatory plea was not maintainable as the petitioners had already been arrested and released, he said.

Two absconding

Two other accused, B.S. Shiva Prasad and Satish Vaidya, were absconding, the SPP said.

He urged the court to reject the bail plea, saying that the petitioners could further damage the fragile peace and harmony in the communally sensitive coastal districts of Mangalore, Karwar and Udupi if they were granted anticipatory bail. The petitioners contended that the police action smacked of harassment and that this action was illegal and had no substance.

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