The State government on Friday urged the special court hearing cases under the Karnataka Control of Organised Crime Act to allow the hearing of underworld don Bannanje Raja and his associates via video conferencing in Belagavi.
Special Public Prosecutor K.G. Puranikmath pleaded before judge Satish Singh that the police were facing several issues, including logistics and cost, in transporting Raja, lodged in Belagavi jail, to the court in the city centre. The judge said he would consider the plea.
Raja and his 11 associates are wanted in several criminal cases, including the murder of industrialist R.N. Nayak. Two of the accused, complained to the judge that they were not getting proper medical care. The judge said he would look into the issue. He ralso ejected the bail request of one of them, Shabandri, who said he wanted to attend a ritual following the death of his father in June. The judge said the KCOCA had no provision to allow this. He also adjourned the bail hearing of all 12 accused to July 28.
