A Chikkamagaluru court, on Friday, rejected an anticipatory bail plea filed by four police officials accused of robbing a jewellery merchant of ₹5 lakh cash.
The accused, Lingaraju H., 42, Police Inspector of Ajjampura Police Station, Dhanpal Naik, 35, Police Constable attached to Sakharayapatna Station, Onkaramurthy S.M., 35, of Kudremukh Police Station and Shantaraj S.B., 32, of Lingadahalli Police Station have been absconding since a robbery case was registered against them at Ajjampura Police Station on November 17.
They had been accused of robbing Bhagavan Sankla, a jewellery merchant who was carrying jewellery with valid documents, after threatening to file a false case against him near Bukkambudi near Ajjampura on May 11, 2022. The complainant had arranged the cash with the help of a friend.
Sankla filed the complaint with the SP of Chikkamagaluru on July 21, 2022. After conducting a preliminary inquiry, the case was registered. The complainant delayed filing the case as he had to travel to Rajasthan for personal reasons and the accused had threatened him of disturbing his business.
The accused had sought anticipatory bail. After hearing the petition, the first additional sessions and special judge B. Pushpanjali rejected the plea.
When The Hindu contacted Bhagavan Sankla, the complainant, he said he had filed the complaint to the SP in July itself. But the case was registered only in November. “Meanwhile, the accused had contacted me requesting me to withdraw the case assuring that he would return the money. I told him to return the money first. He had not contacted me after the complaint was registered. I am told, the accused have not been arrested yet,” he said.
