Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Aug 26: President of Karnataka Police Mahasangha, Shashidhar Venugopal, was granted conditional bail by the state high court on Thursday August 25. Shashidhar had been arrested for calling the police personnel of the state to go on strike.

The single judge bench of the high court presided over by Justice Anand Byrareddy, which heard the bail petitions moved by Shashidhar, Basavaraj Korwar, and Gurupadaiah, ordered Shasidhar to furnish bond for Rs 50,000 and surety for equal amount. He has been asked not to go outside the court jurisdiction without permission, not to call for meeting of policemen, not to destroy evidence, besides imposing some other conditions.

Likewise, the other two persons also were granted bail. The three have already spent 84 days behind bars.

The policemen had arrested Shashidhar at midnight on June 2 for calling police to agitate by applying for mass leave on June 4 this year in protest against not settling problems of police including revision of salary. On the same day, Basavaraj Korwar from Dharwad and Gurupadaiaiah from Davanagere were arrested. They were booked under treason, conspiring against government, and some sections of Essential Services Maintenance Act.

The bail petitions moved by them in sessions court were rejected. They had approached the high court, duly questioning the legality of the lower court order.

Advocate for the petitioners, Ashok Harnahalli, presented arguments. On behalf of the government, additional advocate general, Ponnanna, argued the case.