Karnataka HC grants bail to accused in cattle trader murder case

The Karnataka High Court has granted bail to right wing activist Puneeth Kerehalli and four others in connection with the murder of a cattle trader.

All of them were arrested on April 5 in Rajasthan.

The five are accused of killing Idrees Pasha (39) for transporting cattle in Ramanagara district.

The trial court had denied them bail following which they approached the HC. A vacation bench of Justice MG Uma heard three separate petitions filed by the accused before sanctioning bail.

Kerehalli leads the far-right Hindutva group ‘Rashtra Rakshana Pade’, which is involved in cow vigilantism and ‘rescuing’ cattle that are being transported.

A complaint against Kerehalli and his associates was lodged for attacking the cattle transporters.

The accused petitioners had submitted that the investigation was complete and the police have already filed the charge sheet in the trial court and therefore they were not needed for custodial enquiry.

They have been charged under Sections 302, 324, 341, 504, 506 read with Section 34 of the IPC.