HDK, wife Anita appear

The High Court had granted them bail on Thursday.

Earlier, the two arrived separately at the special court around 10.50 am and were seated for about 30 minutes inside the court hall. When the judge arrived, they were moved to the dock. A tense Kumaraswamy was spotted wiping his face and looking at the wall clock constantly.

Member of Parliament Cheluvarayaswamy and MLAs Zameer Ahmed and Balakrishna accompanied the JD(S) leader.

Twenty minutes later, the hearing was over and the couple went to the main building to pay the bond amount and give surety. Venkatesh of Sampangiramnagar has provided surety for the couple who have been directed not to influence the witnesses.

Tense moments

That process took about another hour and the couple again left separately around 12.30 pm. They experienced a few tense moments when their counsel Hashmath Pasha submitted a copy of the High Court order granting them anticipatory bail and the judge asked him why they required anticipatory bail when there was no warrant for their arrest.

However, the judge accepted the order and directed them to appear for the next hearing.
The other accused in the case, Vinod Goel of Janthakal Enterprises, was not present for the hearing. His counsel moved an application for exemption from personal appearance on health grounds.

It was submitted that Goel was suffering from severe mental stress due to which he was unable to take any decision on his business. It was also submitted that his body weight had led to complications in the lumbar area and that he was suffering from severe backache and had been advised bed rest.

The court also sought to know how long he had been advised rest and the counsel submitted that it was for a week. While granting exemption, the judge made it clear that Goel was expected to appear for the next hearing on September 24 without fail.

Kumaraswamy, who later spoke to the media at the Civil Court complex, claimed he was hurt by reports in the media that he evaded the court fearing arrest. “I have been acting on the advice of my advocates. I never meant any disrespect to the court. Once I am acquitted of all the charges, I will speak,” he said.

Regular bail

His counsel Pasha told the media that Kumaraswamy did not apply for regular bail in the lower court. “The order of the High Court is an absolute anticipatory bail order. So there is no need to file any bail application. They have fulfilled all the requirements of the order,” he said.

Advocate Vinod Kumar had filed a case against Kumaraswamy and his family on the renewal of licence to Janthakal Enterprises 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 Anita had received a residential plot in return for favouring the housing society.

The couple had sought exemption from personal appearance on health grounds.