Bhasker Shetty murder: SC denies bail to accused priest Niranjan Bhat

Team Udayavani, Sep 19, 2018, 11:54 AM IST

Udupi: The Supreme Court, on Tuesday, September 18 rejected the bail petition filed by Niranjan Bhat, a co-accused in the sensational murder of Udupi hotelier  Bhaskar Shetty.

Niranjan had moved the apex court seeking bail after the Karnataka High court had dismissed his petition.

Hearing the petition, the SC bench presided over by Justice S A Bobde observed that the accused could not be granted the bail at a time when examination of the case witnesses was ongoing. The judge, however, said that a fresh plea could be filed after the examination of 36 witnesses in the case was complete.

Nadalike-based astrologer Niranjan is said to have had a key role in the murder of Bhaskar Shetty on July 28, 2016. He was accused of helping the other accused – Bhasker Shetty’s wife Rajeshwari and son Navaneeth – to execute the murder and disposing off the body by burning pieces of it in the Homa Kunda at his house.