Silvester D'Souza
Daijiworld Media Network – Kundapur (EP)
Kundapur, Jun 8: Amasebail police on Thursday June 7 arrested a former naxal leader Nilaguli Padmanabha in Udupi based on an arrest warrant released by the court in connection with two cases in Amasebail police station limits in 2004 and 2005. He was remanded in judicial custody by the JMFC court here for 14 days and thereafter sent to Karwar jail with police escort.
Nilaguli Padmanabha's name arose during several suspected Naxal activities in different places in the disricts of Udupi, Shivamogga and Chikkamagaluru. He had surrendered before the Chikkamagaluru district administration in 2016 due to efforts of journalist, the late Gauri Lankesh and come to the mainstream.
Neelaguli had failed to appear before the court here relating to the two cases filed against him in Amasebail police station in Kundapur taluk. Even though warrants had served on him, Neelaguli had failed to appear before the court. Therefore, the Kundapur police, armed with non-bailable arrest warrant issued by JMFC court, took him into custody from the court complex here.
Neelaguli submitted a written request to the magistrate for bail when he was produced in the court. In his request he stated that fifteen warrants were issued against him by courts in Shringeri, Koppa, Shivamogga and Karkala in connection with several cases when he was in jail for ten months after his surrender under the Naxal package in 2016.
"I have obtained bails from the courts and I am appearing in the courts without fail. I did not have any information about the case registered in Kundapur police station. Therefore, please allow me some time to obtain bail," he requested to the court.
Justice Srikanta Hebbar however rejected his request and sent him to judicial custody.
The naxals face the charge of demolishing a concrete bridge built by forest department at Hamja in Madamakki villalge within Amasebail police station limits on September 30, 2004. Neelaguli and six armed naxals have been accused of involvement in the case. In the other case, Neelaguli and four other armed naxals were charged with demolishing two minor bridges of forest department at Ballimane in Madamakki villalge on June 24, 2005.