The Hindu : Front Page : Andhra Jyothi journalists granted bail

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Friday, Jun 27, 2008
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Andhra Jyothi journalists granted bail

Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD: Andhra Jyothi Editor, K. Srinivas and reporters, M. Vamshi Krishna and T. Srinivas, who were arrested two days ago under provisions of SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, were granted bail by a local court on Thursday.

The Sixth Additional Metropolitan Sessions-cum-Special Court judge, B.A. Prakasa Rao, granted the bail at 4 p.m. but the scribes could not be released from the Chanchalguda prison as formalities pertaining to furnishing sureties took a little longer. The judge directed that two sureties of Rs. 10,000 for each of the accused be furnished. The journalists would be released on Friday.

While Mr. Srinivas was granted unconditional bail, the two reporters were ordered to appear before the Jubilee Hills police Inspector every Monday between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m.

Arguing for grant of bail, the defence counsel D. Srinivas pointed out that the complaint was lodged several days after the alleged incident of abusing the complainant in the name of caste occurred. While the alleged incident took place on May 26, the police complaint was lodged on June 4. Mr. Srinivas also drew the attention of the court to the fact that the MRPS leader had lodged his first complaint on May 28. The second complaint containing concocted versions was filed only to harass the journalists, he argued.

He said that the case did not attract the section 3(1) X of the Act, as the complainant, Mr. Manda Krishna was not present when the alleged incident took place and hence insulting or humiliating him did not arise. The section under which the case was registered deals with ‘intentional insults or intimidation with intent to humiliate a member of a SC or ST in any place within public view’.

The prosecution, however, argued that there was delay on part of the complainant in lodging the complaint as he had to gather names and other details of the ‘accused’ persons. But the judge held that collecting details of the accused persons was not the complainant’s duty but that of the police.

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