The Karnataka High Court has granted bail to Puneeth Kerehalli and four others in connection with the murder of Idrees Pasha, a cattle trader from Mandya district, PTI reported.
The accused individuals had been apprehended on April 5 in Rajasthan after attempting to evade arrest. Puneeth Kerehalli is the leader of the far-right Hindutva group called ‘Rashtra Rakshana Pade,’ which engages in cow vigilantism.
The five are accused of torturing and killing Idrees Pasha (39) for transporting cattle in the Ramanagara district. Initially, the trial court had denied them bail, prompting them to approach the High Court.
A vacation bench, presided over by Justice MG Uma, reviewed three separate petitions submitted by the accused before granting them bail.
Kerehalli and his associates had been charged following a complaint regarding their attack on Pasha. The accused petitioners argued that the investigation had been concluded, and the police had already filed the charge sheet in the trial court, implying that their custodial presence was unnecessary.
They have been charged under Sections 302, 324, 341, 504, and 506 of the Indian Penal Code, along with Section 34.
