Kumaraswamy, Anitha second time lucky

Court asks them to appear without fail for next hearing tomorrow

Their counsel Hashmath Pasha sought exemption for the couple on the grounds that they needed 15 days time to file an anticipatory bail plea in the High Court and also that Kumaraswamy was suffering from hypertension and dizziness.

Judge N K Sudhindra Rao adjourned the hearing to September 7 and directed that they should appear for the next hearing without fail.

Last week, a similar exemption plea had been filed stating that Kumaraswamy was suffering from high blood pressure and hypertension, while his wife Anita was suffering from severe backache due to slip disc.

The third accused in the case, Vinod Goel was, however, present in the Court for the hearing.

Hashmath Pasha said the absence was not deliberate or intentional, but they did not want to render the anticipatory bail application in the High Court infructuous by appearing in the trial court.

Kumaraswamy said: “We are co-operating by appearing through our counsel to see that the trial is progressing. We are only availing the remedies available to us. We are not escaping from the law.”

However, counsel for the complainant R L Patil objected to Kumaraswamy moving an application repeatedly on the same grounds. He also argued that media reports suggested that the couple was in good health and were not suffering from any illness as they had appeared on television.

Anticipatory bail

Meanwhile, Kumaraswamy and his wife have moved an application for anticipatory bail in the High Court. The matter could be taken up for hearing on Tuesday.

Advocate Vinod Kumar had filed a case against H D Kumaraswamy and his family on the renewal of licence to Janthakal Mining Company violating the norms.

Another allegation was also made about the bulk allotment of land to Vishwabharathi Housing Cooperative Society during his tenure as chief minister.

The complaint alleged that his wife Anita Kumaraswamy had received a residential plot in return for favouring the housing society.