Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (SP)
Udupi, Aug 13: A video showing police officials investigating the murder case of Bhaskar Shetty coming out of a well-known hotel at Nitte near Karkala in the company of murder-accused has gone viral in social websites.
The people are already angry at the fact that Manipal station house officer, S V Girish, had offered his seat to accused Navaneeth Shetty, throwing to wind the norms, when returning after producing the accused in the court. This had drawn bitter criticism from the general public, family members of Bhaskar Shetty, and bunt community leaders.
The new episode seems to strengthen the notion that police personnel are hand in glove with the murder-accused in this case.
The footage recorded in the CCTV camera of the hotel shows current investigating officer in the case, Dr Sumana, visiting the hotel with the accused as if they are special guests of the department, and leading them out after treating them in the hotel. The recording time is 4 pm on August 10.
The accused shown in the video footage include accused Niranjan Bhat's father, Srinivas Bhat, and driver, Raghavendra.
Addressing a press conference here on Friday, Karnataka Rakshana Vedike district president, Santosh Shetty Panjimar, accused the police of treating the accused to royal hospitality at the hotel.
However, police officials said that when having food at the hotel that evening, they could not have left the accused on their own, and therefore had escorted them to hotel on humanitarian grounds, and not to show any undue favour.