Court rejects Cong MLA's son bail plea in assault case

A court here today rejected the bail plea of a Congress legislator's son, charged with attempt to murder for allegedly assaulting a man at a pub in Bengaluru last month. Sessions Judge Parameshwara Prasanna also denied bail to six other people arrested in connection with the case. Mohammed Nalapad Haris, son of ruling Congress legislator N A Haris, was booked for attempt to murder after he allegedly assaulted L Vidwath in U B City on February 17. Rejecting the bail pleas, the judge said that the matter is serious, given the injuries sustained by the victim.

He did not rule out the possibility of the accused influencing the witnesses in the case and tampering with the evidence. The Congress expelled Nalapad, who was Bengaluru District Youth Congress general secretary, following the incident. Special Public Prosecutor M S Shyam Sundar said the court took note of the serious injuries the victim has sustained based on the medical records produced in the court. "The court has expressed concern that, at this stage, it is not a fit case for grant of bail in view of the injuries the victim has sustained," he said. Meanwhile, BJP Karnataka Legislative Council member Lahar Singh said that police should investigate if the accused were under the influence of drugs when they thrashed the victim. He also alleged that a party worker, Santosh, was killed after he had threatened to expose the drug trafficking racket. Santhosh was hacked to death by unidentified people here on February 1 when he was on his way home. Singh flayed Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for his "inaction" against drug trafficking. "Till May 31, 2017, Bengaluru Police have booked about 135 cases of drug peddling under the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act and other acts," he said.

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