The Hindu

MANGALORE/Bangalore, Jan 10: Editor-in-Chief of the Kannada daily Karavali Ale B.V. Seetaram was on Friday shifted to the Mysore Central Jail from the District Sub-jail here.

The district Sub-Jail’s log book that The Hindu had access to only confirms the fact that he was shifted to Mysore but does not mention who ordered the shift. Jail authorities conveyed that the order might have been given by the court or the office of the Inspector- General of Police (Western Range). IGP A.M. Prasad, on the other hand, denied having any role in Seetaram’s transfer. He said: “Our job is only to provide an escort.” He added, “I have been made to understand that his transfer is prompted by safety concerns.”

Seetaram’s advocate Vikram Hegde said, “The transfer is a product of an internal arrangement of the jail authorities. A court’s order in such matters is not necessary.”

Seetaram’s transfer came less than an hour after he was discharged from the District Government Wenlock hospital where he was kept under observation for nearly 24 hours. According to jail authorities who did not wish to be named, Mr. Seetaram was taken away to Mysore minutes after he was brought in from hospital in the same escort vehicle that brought him in.

Meanwhile, District Surgeon J. Prabhudeva said that he received calls on his mobile phone from anonymous persons who tried to intimidate him into discharging Mr. Seetaram while he was under medical observation.

Criticised

The Congress has criticised the arrest and handcuffing of Mr. Seetaram and sought a public apology from Home Minister V.S. Acharya.

Kharge termed the arrest as a “biggest assault on the media” and said the government should treat all persons equally.

Dr. Acharya denied the charge that he was instrumental in the arrest of Seetaram. He said “why drag me into the picture. It is between a complainant and a newspaper.”