Daijiworld Media Network – Beltangady (MS)
Beltangady, May 8: The High court of Karnataka upheld the sentence pronounced on K Somanath Nayak, president of Nagarika Seva Trust, Guruvayanakere, by the Beltangady civil court in the Shree Kshethra Dharmasthala and Dharmadhikari Dr D Veerendra Heggade defamation case.
The civil court of Beltangady had sentenced Somanath Nayak, who used to make defamatory statements against the Kshetra and the Dharmadhikari despite prohibitory orders from the court, to imprisonment, ordered confiscation of his property and slapped a fine on him. Nayak had filed a writ petition in the high court against the verdict of the lower court. The high court which heard the arguments of both the parties, quashed the writ by Somanath Nayak on May 5 pronouncing a verdict containing 148 pages.
Somanath Nayak (File photo)
The high court in its verdict has said, “It is proven that the allegations made by Somanath Nayak against Dr Heggade are false. His accusation that Dr Heggade has more than prescribed limits of immovable assets is baseless. When the records were checked, it came to light that Dr Heggade and his family members had donated several properties to the farmers.
“The defamatory remarks by Somanath Nayak on the character of Dr Heggade and the reputation of the holy place, in spite of the prohibitory orders by the court, cannot be pardoned. Nayak has also failed to bring to the notice of the court his contribution to the society except defaming Dr Heggade and family.”
The Beltangady court has already issued an arrest warrant against Somanath Nayak. Lawyers K Chandranatha Ariga of Bengaluru and Ratnaverma Bunna Beltangady had aargued for Shree Kshetra and Dr Heggade.