The Principal Sessions Court here dismissed the anticipatory bail plea of former BJP district president K. Balakrishna Shetty in the Manjeswaram election bribery case. He is the fifth accused in the case.
Earlier, the court had heard BSP candidate K. Sundara who said that he had received a bribe.
The court, after three days of intense arguments, dismissed Mr. Shetty’s bail plea. He had approached the court seeking anticipatory bail after the Crime Branch submitted an interim report adding the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act in the Manjeswaram case.
Mr. Sundara had said that he was bribed with ₹2.5 lakh and a smart phone. He also alleged that he was threatened with dire consequences if he did not withdraw his nomination in the Assembly elections in which he was pitted against the BJP State president K. Surendran, the main accused in the case.
The interim report of the Crime Branch also named Yuva Morcha former State treasurer Sunil Naik and BJP leaders Suresh Naik, K. Manikanta Rai, and Lokesh Londa as accused.
The case was investigated by a team led by Deputy Superintendent of Police (District Crime Branch) Satish Kumar.
Apart from the charge of trying to subvert the election by paying a bribe, charges of intimidation and detention were also included.
The Special Public Prosecutor had directed the investigation team to impose Sections under the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act as Mr. Sundara belongs to a scheduled caste.
