Among the arrested in connection with the Old Hubballi violence case reported in 2022, 35 persons received relief on Friday with the Supreme Court allowing the Special Leave Petitions (criminal) pertaining to their bail.
The Supreme Court of India Bench comprising of Justice B.R. Gavai and Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra on Friday conducted hearing on the various SLPs and disposed them of.
The Bench said it is inclined to allow the petitions taking into consideration that the other co-accused with similar allegations have already been granted bail and the petitioners are directed to be released on bail in connection with crime 63 dated 16.04.2022 of Old Hubballi Police station, Karnataka, to the satisfaction of the trial court.
Old Hubballi witnessed violence on April 16, 2022, during a protest over derogatory post on WhatsApp by a youth which resulted in the arrest of close to 150 persons, who are presently lodged in different jails. While a few managed to get bail, majority are still in prison.
The plea for their release by their family members had resulted in Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar writing to the Home Minister on the issue, who in turn sought details on the case, subsequently. The development had led to the BJP crying foul and accusing the Congress government of appeasement politics.
