The Karnataka High Court on Wednesday denied bail to Mohammed Nalapad, the son of Congress MLA NA Haris, in an assault case. A lower court had sent Nalapad to 14 days in judicial custody last month for allegedly beating up a man at a Bengaluru restaurant on February 17.
The court rejected Nalapad’s bail application on the grounds of “protecting peace in society and to check the manipulation and destruction of evidence in the case”, The News Minute reported.
Special Public Prosecutor Shyamsundar had argued in the last hearing on March 9 that Nalapad should be denied bail for fabricating evidence. He alleged that the defence had furnished a fake report of Vidvat, the victim, being discharged from hospital. The special prosecutor also claimed that the defence had violated the law by furnishing such a document.
Nalapad and his supporters are believed to have also visited Vidvat in hospital and warned him against filing a complaint.
On Wednesday, Shyamsundar told The News Minute that the CCTV footage of the assault contradicted the defence’s claim that Nalapad was not at the restaurant that day and did not assault the victim. “No one came forward to help Vidvat because of the wild exhibition of muscle power,” Shyamsundar said.
The defence had also claimed that Vidvat was drunk and was injured when he fell on his face. However, doctors at Mallya hospital who treated him denied the claim.
“The judge also noted that the lack of help for Vidvat is a testament to the fear the accused had instilled in the people,” he said. “We have now got a shield from the court to complete the investigation without intervention.”
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