Karnataka   

Muthalik remanded to judicial custody

MYSORE: Sri Rama Sene chief Pramod Muthalik, who was arrested in Belgaum late on Friday night by a police team from Mysore, in connection with the recent communal violence in the city, was produced amidst tight security in a court here on Saturday.

The Court of the Judicial Magistrate, First Class (Second Court), remanded him to judicial custody till July 28. Mr. Muthalik has been charged under Section 295 and Section 153A of the Indian Penal Code.

Four advocates are representing Mr. Muthalik. One of his counsels, C.V. Keshavamurthy, told presspersons that Mr. Muthalik was arrested in Belgaum on Friday night. He is among the eight persons against whom the police had registered cases in connection with the desecration of an Arabic school here recently. “But, the police arrested only Mr. Muthalik, slapping additional charges on him,” he said.

“Muthalik’s bail application has been filed in the court, but the government counsel sought time to file objections to the bail application. Therefore, the court remanded Muthalik in judicial custody up to July 28.”

The police whisked Mr. Muthalik away from the court premises after his remand in judicial custody. Policemen in uniform and plainclothes had been deployed on the court premises as a precautionary measure. Security was tightened on the court premises one hour before he was brought there. Sources said the police interrogated Mr. Muthalik before he was produced in court.

When contacted, Police Commissioner Sunil Agarwal told The Hindu that Mr. Muthalik had been arrested for abetting desecration of an Arabic school which triggered the communal violence in some parts of Mysore city on July 2. The Opposition had taken the government to task in the Assembly recently, following the communal violence and had demanded a judicial inquiry into the riots but this was turned down.

The Congress accused Mr. Muthalik of inciting the violence and sought his arrest.

Meanwhile, the police took a person, whose identity is being ascertained, into custody for allegedly taking photographs on his cellphone of the people gathered on the premises when Mr. Muthalik was produced in court.

The police immediately snatched the cellphone from him and whisked him away.

Another person, who was suspected to be his associate, was also taken into custody.

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