Note racket: HC refuses to modify contractor's bail plea

 The high court on Thursday refused to modify the bail application of contractor Chandrakanth Ramalingam, one of the accused in the currency exchange racket. There was also an Income Tax raid on his house.

His bail was deferred to February 2, after the CBI sought more time to interrogate Ramalingam.

Ramalingam is charged with possessing Rs 46 lakh in new currency notes, which were recovered from his house. CBI has argued that the currency meant to be deposited in ATMs was found in the houses of Ramalingam and others accused in the racket.

Ramalingam had filed an interlocutory application (IA) seeking modification, citing a Supreme Court direction that once a person is remanded in judicial custody, he cannot be sent back to police custody. He sought that bail be granted immediately as he wants to celebrate Pongal and pay his workers for the festival. Justice Rathnakala rejected his IA. 

Belekeri case

Karwar MLA Satish Sail and his company Mallikarjuna Shipping Pvt Ltd have approached the high court, seeking quashing of the CBI proceedings against them in the case relating to illegal export of iron ore from Belekeri port.

Sail contended that he and his company had no role in the case. However, the CBI argued that the petitioners’ names were prominently mentioned in the Lokayukta’s illegal mining report and the report of the Central Empowered Committee of the Supreme Court. CBI counsel P Prasanna Kumar said the discharge plea pertaining to the petitioners had been rejected in the lower court. Justice Anand Byrareddy adjourned the hearing to January 25 as the CBI sought more time.