MLA Akhanda's nephew, whose FB post triggered Bengaluru riots, gets bail

The Karnataka High Court has granted bail to P Naveen, nephew of Pulakeshinagar MLA Akhanda Srinivas Murthy, whose Facebook post related to Islam allegedly triggered violence in KG Halli and DJ Halli on August 11.

While granting conditional bail, Justice B A Patil observed that the post was withdrawn immediately and the police investigation has also been completed.

The counsel for the petitioner stated that the comment on Facebook was posted without an intention to hurt religious sentiments. He only downloaded what was available online and forwarded it. Naveen withdrew the content from Facebook the same evening, the counsel submitted.

P Prasanna Kumar, special public prosecutor, contended that Naveen is a habitual offender as seven cases were registered against him in the city. Kumar further made a submission that there was a threat to Naveen’s life as a person from Uttar Pradesh has declared a bounty on his head.

The court observed that denying bail merely on the ground that there is a threat to life would indirectly affect the fundamental right of an individual.

Justice Patil allowed the bail petition and directed Naveen to furnish a bond for Rs 2 lakh with two sureties of the like sum for the satisfaction of the trial court.

The bench also directed Naveen to mark his attendance on the 1st of every month before the jurisdictional police and barred him from leaving the jurisdiction of the trial court without prior permission.

Naveen had moved the High Court after the trial court had rejected his bail application.