SC rejects bail plea by VHP activist in abduction case

The Supreme Court has rejected a bail plea by VHP and Bajrang Dal activist Khandya Praveen in an abduction case.

The 2016 case has allegedly resulted in the suicide of then deputy superintendent of police Kallappa Handibag in Chikkamangaluru district after charges were made that the officer was a part of the whole conspiracy and paid Rs 10 lakh. Praveen was alleged to be the mastermind of the incident relating to the abduction of Tejas Gowda.

A bench of Justices A M Khanwilkar, Dinesh Maheshwari and Sanjiv Khanna dismissed his petition against the Karnataka High Court's order of May 26, declining him bail in the case.

The petitioner, led by senior advocate R Basant and advocate Shailesh Madiyal, contended that he has been in custody for more than two years and there was no progress in the case, affecting his right to liberty. He also cited prevailing Covid-19 situation to support his plea.

After hearing the counsel, the court, however, allowed him to renew his request for bail on examination of the complainant in the matter. The court also directed the trial court as well as the prosecution to ensure that the complainant was examined within a period of two months.

The top court also directed for filing of a compliance report in two months in this regard.

The petitioner claimed that the case was illegally foisted upon him by the Chikkamangaluru rural police. The police, however, had named 14 persons in the charge sheet and Praveen was named as accused number four.

In 2018, Praveen contested unsuccessfully as a BJP rebel candidate from Sringeri constituency and polled 1294 votes which was seen as a major factor for the defeat of three-term MLA from saffron party D N Jeevaraj, who lost by 1989 votes from Congress candidate Rajegowda.

In July 2018, the top court had set aside a Karnataka High Court order granting him anticipatory bail in the case, saying such a relief cannot be granted to a person against whom a non-bailable warrant has been issued.