Supreme Court rejects bail plea of accused in killing of BJP leader

The Supreme Court has declined to consider bail plea of a man accused of supplying arms and finances at the instance of extradited gangster Bannanje Raja to other co-accused for killing BJP leader and businessman K N Naik in 2013 in Uttara Kannada district.

A bench of Justices U U Lalit and Vineet Saran rejected bail plea made by Jagdish Aras, represented by senior advocate Yatindra Singh and advocate Sanjay M Nuli, in the case related to offences under the Karnataka Control of Organized Crimes Act, 2000 and other penal provisions including murder.

The court, however, directed the trial court to finish trial in the case by June 30, 2016.

The sensational day-light murder was carried out at Ankola on December 21, 2013, months after the extortion threat. In the shootout, the armed Karnataka police gunmen had chased and killed one of the assailants Vivek Upadhyay, who hailed from Varanasi, but others had escaped in Maruti Omni car. Out of 16 accused, one was killed and three other remained absconding.

The prime accused, Bannanje Raja was arrested in Morocco and was extradited to India on August 14, 2015.

In his plea, the petitioner here contended he has been in jail for more than six years. He also claimed to have suffered from various ailments. He also said in view of 300 witnesses, the trial was unlikely to be completed anytime soon. He challenged validity of the Karnataka HC's order of July 18, 2019, declining him any relief.

Karnataka government counsel Shubhranshu Padhi opposed the plea, saying the petitioner had supplied finance and arms and ammunition in committing the murder of victim Naik.

"It is true that the petitioner is in custody for last more than six years. But the allegations against him and the role ascribed to him, in our view, dis-entitle the petitioner for being released on bail," the bench said.

"We are conscious that if 300 witnesses are to be examined, the trial may take sometime. We, therefore, direct the trial court to conclude the proceedings in trial as early as possible and preferably by June 30, 2021," the bench added.

The bench asked the trial court to make every endeavour to complete the process within the time stipulated. The trial court should file compliance report after June 30, 2021, the top court directed.