Arrested journo granted conditional bail

Team Udayavani, Nov 14, 2018, 10:44 AM IST

Madikeri: A JMFC court on Tuesday granted conditional bail to arrested journalist Santosh Thammaiah.

Acting on a complaint filed by Siddapura resident Asif the Gonikoppa police had arrested Thammaiah from Tumukuru on Monday, November 12 night. The complaint had been filed against Thammaiah for the alleged derogatory remarks he had made against Prophet Mohammed and Tipu Sultan during an event, held on November 5 at Gonikoppal in Kodagu district, to oppose the Tipu celebrations.

JMFC court judge Mohan Gowda, after hearing the arguments put forth by Advocate Krishnamurthy on behalf of Thammaiah granted the conditional bail. Kodagu residents Machaiah and K G Dattatri provided bail surety to him.

The journalist’s arrest was widely condemned by various Hindutva organisations and protests were staged in the district demanding Thammaiah’s release. Hindu Suraksha Vedike has also called for an hour’s symbolic Kodagu district bandh today (Wednesday9 from 12 to 1 pm.