Note exchange: HC bail to PAs of DK brothers, 3 others

The High Court of Karnataka on Monday granted anticipatory bail to B Padmanabhaiah, who was the personal assistant (PA) to Bangalore Rural MP D K Suresh, S Sheshagiri, who was PA to Water Resources Minister D K Shivakumar, and three others in a currency exchange case.

Justice Srinivas Harish Kumar allowed the bail plea on the ground that the petitioners had appeared before the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) special court seven times and that all of them had co-operated with the investigation. Hence, there is no need to arrest them.

On Monday, the court allowed the bail appeals filed by Padmanabhaiah, Shivananda, Sheshagiri, Thimmayya (secretary, district Congress committee) and Padmarekha (daughter of Sheshagiri).

The petitioners had filed an appeal, following the rejection of their anticipatory bail applications by the CBI special court.

The petitioners have been accused of illegally exchanging demonetised currency worth over Rs 10 lakh.

The CBI had raided Suresh’s personal assistant and a few others. The search operations were conducted at five places in Bengaluru, Kanakapura and Ramanagara over allegations of illegally exchanging demonetised currency worth over Rs 10 lakh.

During the investigation, the CBI officials found that the accused, on November 10 and 11, 2016, got 120 voter ID cards printed, in connivance with the local election cell officials. They also misused the stamp of the returning officer and used the voter cards to exchange money at the bank, in connivance with the bank officials.