Actor Navadeep not to be arrested till Tuesday: HC
The Hindu
The actor’s counsel Sidhartha Venkat, presenting contentions before the High Court, said the police claimed that the actor was consumer of the drugs in the case registered by Gudimalkapur police station.
Justice K. Surender of the Telangana High Court on Friday directed the Hyderabad police not to arrest until Tuesday film actor Navadeep, whose name cropped up in a drugs racket case busted a couple of days ago.
The 37-year-old actor from Jubilee Hills in Hyderabad knocked on the doors of the High Court by moving a lunch motion seeking anticipatory bail in the event of his arrest in the drugs case. After hearing the criminal petition during the post-lunch session, the Judge passed the interim direction not to arrest him and posted the matter to Tuesday for next hearing.
Busting a drugs racket, the Hyderabad police arrested eight persons, including a film director and a former MP’s son, two days ago. Police Commissioner and Telangana State Anti-Narcotics Bureau Director C.V. Anand said actor Navadeep, who was wanted in the case, was absconding.
The actor’s counsel Sidhartha Venkat, presenting contentions before the High Court, said the police claimed that the actor was consumer of the drugs in the case registered by Gudimalkapur police station. He said there was no clinching evidence to prove the actor was an accused.
No evidence was mentioned in the remand report of the arrested persons. Counsel contended that there was no evidence to link the actor with the sale, circulation or smuggling of the case. Without making preliminary inquiries police announced that he was absconding, the lawyer said.
Stating that all this was denting the image of the actor, counsel sought anticipatory bail for his client.
“We are judges and therefore, cannot act like Mughals of a bygone era ... the writ courts in the guise of doing justice cannot transcend the barriers of law,” the High Court of Karnataka observed while setting aside an order of a single judge, who in 2016 had extended the lease of a public premises allotted to a physically challenged person to 20 years contrary to 12-year period stipulated in the law.
The High Court of Karnataka on Monday declined to interfere, at present, in the investigation against a Bharatiya Janata Party worker, who is among the accused persons facing charges of circulating obscene clips, related to “morphed” images and videos clips related to Prajwal Revanna, former Hassan MP, in public domain through pen drives and other modes.
The 16th edition of Bhoomi Habba was held on June 8, at the Visthar campus. The festival drew a vibrant crowd who came together to celebrate eco-consciousness through a variety of engaging activities, creative workshops, panel discussions, interactive exhibits and performances, all centered around this year’s theme: “Save Water, Save Lives.”