Suspecting possibility of false implication of a software engineer in a prostitution racket by the city police, the Karnataka High Court on Thursday directed the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to probe the case while staying the charge sheet and further proceedings before the trial court against him.
Justice S.N. Satyanarayana passed the order on a petition filed by the software engineer, a native of Uttar Pradesh, who is employed and living with his wife and child in Bangalore since 2009.
As per the charge sheet, the petitioner was booked on April 28, 2010 following a police raid on a building in Horamavu in Ramamurthynagar police station limits based on a tip-off about operation of prostitution racket. The case was booked against nine members, including the petitioner, who has been described as a pimp by the police. The petitioner claimed that he was falsely implicated after his vehicle met with a road accident with another vehicle said to be belonging to one police officer by name “Naidu”, whose son was said to be driving at the time of incident.
Noticing that the charge sheet was filed only against the petitioner as other accused are still absconding, the court wondered why the case was split and charge sheet filed only against him and how the other accused were still at large though the case was booked in 2010. The court also found it difficult to accept the narration that the petitioner was caught while fleeing from the building.
While directing the CID to probe the case without being influenced by any police officers, the court directed that the probe be completed within six months.
Amanath BankThe High Court on Thursday clarified that the model code of conduct in force for the ensuing Lok Sabha elections would not come in the way of the Ministry of Finance considering and taking a decision on Canara Bank’s proposal to take over the crisis-driven Amanath Cooperative Bank.
Justice S. Abdul Nazeer passed the order while giving 10 more days to the Ministry to take a stand on merging ACB with Canara Bank. The court passed the order after the Assistant Solicitor-General submitted that the Ministry was studying the impact of the merger scheme and cited code of conduct in taking a decision in this regard. The court adjourned till April 7 further hearing questioning merger scheme and other issues and the petitions seeking CBI probe on ACB’s affairs.
