Bail for anti-NICE activist

Panchalingaiah V, the anti-NICE project activist arrested by the Lokayukta police on charges of fabricating documents to obtain compensation for land, was granted bail by the Special Lokayukta Court on Tuesday. 

He was arrested on May 25, after an investigation by the Lokayukta police showed that he had forged and fabricated documents to show government land as his own and later claimed compensation from the Bangalore Development Authority, which was acquiring land for the formation of Banashankari 6th Stage.

The Court granted bail after directing him to pay Rs one lakh in personal bond and a similar amount as surety. Apart from instructions not to tamper with or contact any prosecution witness, he has also been directed not to visit any office which has revenue jurisdiction over the land.

The Lokayukta police had sought body warrants in two other cases being investigated by them. While he was arrested for fabricating documents for portraying gomala lands measuring one acre in Hemmigepura as his own and getting a compensation of Rs six lakh and a 60 x 40 residential site, the body warrants were sought for two other instances, where he showed land measuring nine acres in Lingadheerananhalli in his relatives’ name and collected a compensation of more than Rs 75 lakh and nine sites. 

The Court has granted him bail in these two cases as well. Panchalingaiah, involved in numerous protests against the NICE project, has around 10 cases of rioting, arson and unlawful assembly registered against him in Ramanagara, Bidadi and Talaghattapura police stations. Non-bailable warrants had been issued against him.