Special Public Prosecutors appointed

Mysuru:  The Third Chief Judicial Magistrate’s Court in Mysuru will hear the case where former Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Mysuru C. Shikha was abused in public, preventing her from discharging her official duties. The Court has posted the hearing to Aug. 13.

Former Zilla Panchayat President K. Marigowda, who is also a close aide of former CM Siddharamaiah, Manjunath and others are the accused in the case. The case came up for hearing yesterday and an application was filed to appoint G.V. Ramamurthy and R. Girijesh as Special Public Prosecutors.

Allowing the appointments, the Court asked the Prosecutors to examine the accused and the witnesses in the case and posted the hearing to Aug. 13. The Court also asked the Police to produce the CD and other documents that have the recording and details of the incident.

On July 3, 2016, Shikha, who is now the Managing Director of BESCOM at Bengaluru, alleged that Marigowda and his associates had verbally abused and threatened her outside the Government Guest House in Mysuru at an Iftar party which was being attended by the then CM Siddharamaiah. Shikha was on protocol duty at that event when Marigowda and his associates allegedly tried to block her from entering the place and also used abusive language.  Marigowda, known for his proximity to the then CM, had questioned the DC about certain administrative matters. When the officer refused to offer an explanation, he allegedly issued threats and used abusive language and blocked her entry.

After the incident, Shikha lodged a complaint against Marigowda and four of his supporters at Nazarbad Police Station. The Police investigation team, led by Devaraja Sub-Division ACP Rajashekar, had submitted a 45-page chargesheet against Marigowda, Manjunath, Ananda, Siddaraju and Basavaraju. The chargesheet was submitted to the Third Chief Judicial Magistrate’s Court.

Nazarbad Police had booked the accused under IPC Section 341 (punishment for wrongful restraint), Section 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his/her duty), Section 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) and IPC Section 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation).

Marigowda, who had been absconding since the incident, was forced to surrender before Nazarbad Police on Aug. 3, 2016, after the Karnataka High Court rejected his bail plea. He had spent 22 days in judicial custody before obtaining bail.