Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Apr 6: The state high court (HC)has instructed police personnel of Vidhan Soudha station here not to arrest five persons, who are facing the allegation of posing death threat to Congress MLC, V S Ugrappa.

Ugrappa had filed a complaint in the said police station, alleging that murder threat was posed to him on Facebook page standing in the name of 'Swachcha Brahmana Vedike'. The HC passed the above order when hearing a petition filed by Subrahmanya Bhat from Shivamogga and four other accused in the case, seeking to quash the first information report filed against them on the basis of Ugrappa's complaint. A single judge bench of the HC chaired by Justice Anand Byrareddy which heard the petition asked the police to continue with their investigation without arresting the accused.

It is said that Ugrappa, who happens to be the president of the Committee on Preventing Sexual Violence against Women and Children, had issued a statement against Sri Raghaveshwara Bharatiteertha Swamiji which appeared to have exceeded his jurisdiction. "About this statement, comments had been passed in the said Facebook page. We  had expressed our opinions on the basis of right of expression we enjoy. We had not posed murder threats as alleged," the accused had said, when petitioning the HC seeking to dismiss the first information report.

Ugrappa had, in his complaint registered on December 22 last in Vidhan Soudha police station, accused Subrahmanya Bhat and four others of posing death threat to him. The police, who had registered first information report, had arrested two and questioned them. Later, another complaint was filed in the same station, accusing Ugrappa of exceeding the jurisdiction of his powers.