Pocso case: Scribe’s bail plea rejected

Udupi: Udupi district special court on Saturday rejected the bail plea of journalist Chandra K Hemmadi ,40, who was accused of sexually assaulting a boy student. He has been charged in 21 cases under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act.
The accused had filed a petition in court on March 27 seeking bail in the first case filed against him in Byndoor police station. However Vijay Vasu Poojary, district special prosecutor convinced the court that after introduction of Pocso Act, it is first time that 21 cases were lodged against one accused in the entire country and therefore, his bail pea should be rejected. District special judge Chandrashekhar M Joshi, who heard the arguments over the controversy, rejected the bail petition of the accused.

Chandra Hemmadi was arrested on November 28, 2018, based on the case filed at Byndoor police station for allegedly sexually harassing school students. A total 16 cases were registered against him at Byndoor, three at Gangolli and one each at Kundapur Rural and Kollur police stations.