A Bengaluru court on Thursday granted interim anticipatory bail to three people associated with the Janata Dal (Secular)’s social media operations in connection with a fake sting video linking former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to a honey-trap controversy.
Additional City Civil and Sessions Judge Shankarappa Nimbanna Kalkani granted interim pre-arrest bail to Prajwal Prasad, a media consultant associated with the JD(S) in New Delhi and party social media functionaries Chandan HS and Mohan Gowda K.
The court passed separate orders allowing the interim anticipatory bail applications filed by the three petitioners, who apprehended arrest following the issuance of notices under Section 94 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) by the investigating police.
The petitioners contended that their names did not figure in the FIR and that they had been falsely implicated in the investigation. They further submitted that they were neither the owners nor the creators or administrators of the YouTube channel 'Karnataka Honey Trap', which they claimed was created and operated by someone else.
The Court noted that a co-accused facing similar allegations had already secured interim anticipatory bail. It further observed that granting interim protection subject to stringent conditions would not hamper the investigation.
“Otherwise, the personal liberty of the petitioner guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution would be frustrated” the court observed.
The Court directed each petitioner to execute a personal bond of ₹1 lakh with one surety for the like sum in the event of arrest.
They were also directed to cooperate with the investigating officer, refrain from tampering with prosecution witnesses and surrender if their main anticipatory bail applications were rejected.
On October 23, Bengaluru-based television channel Power TV's Managing Director Rakesh Shetty secured interim anticipatory bail in the same case. Delhi-based Ritesh Pandey was also arrested and subsequently granted bail.
Siddaramaiah had lodged a police complaint on October 6, alleging defamation and blackmail over a purported sting video that appeared on a social media account titled 'Karnataka Honey Trap' on September 27, before being aired by some local television channels.
On October 13, a Bengaluru court granted an ex parte ad-interim injunction restraining 42 media organisations, digital platforms and other defendants from publishing or circulating videos linking the former Chief Minister to the honey-trap controversy.
Advocate Suyog Herele E appeared for Chandan HS and Mohan Gowda K. Advocate Madhav B Kashyap represented Prajwal Prasad.