Home stay moral cop gets red carpet from jailor
Shreyas, 19, was taken back to Mangalore jail from exam hall in a private vehicle, accompanied by his mother and two cops in civvies
A 19-year-old accused in the Mangalore homestay attack case, who is in judicial custody but has been allowed to appear for his PUC exam on Wednesday, caused a stir after being taken back to prison in a private vehicle (KA03 ME 6515). He was accompanied by his mother and two cops in civilian dress.
It may be recalled that in the last academic year Vittal Malekudiya, a journalism student who was arrested for alleged naxal links, had received court permission to appear for his masters in communication and journalism exams. He was taken to the examination hall in handcuffs, in a police vehicle and was escorted by two policemen in uniform.
The accused, Shreyas alias Sachhu, 19, was wearing the college uniform. He reached the examination hall around 8.30am. His mother tried to prevent mediapersons from taking his pictures. Along with a relative, she accompanied him up to the exam hall and waited till he entered the room, while other parents and relatives were allowed only up to the college entrance.
Shreyas is a II PUC (commerce) student at Milagres PU College in Mangalore. He had secured permission from the first additional district and sessions court to appear for the examinations (Homestay attack accused can write exams with police escort; BM, Feb 25).
The exam commenced at 9.30am and ended at 12.15pm. As soon as the exam ended, the car arrived near the entrance. Shreyas sat between his escorts while his mother sat in the passenger seat next to the driver.
Bangalore Mirror decided to follow the car, which did not take the route straight to jail till the occupants realized that they were being followed. At the jail, a television cameraperson was present. On seeing him recording the accused getting out of the private car, a relative hurled expletives at the cameraperson. According to police sources, accused in judicial custody are escorted for court hearings by City Armed Reserve (CAR) force personnel. Commissioner of police Manish Kharbikar said, “Once the accused is in judicial custody it is the responsibility of the jail authorities to decide on the mode of transport. However, the CAR had not received any requisition for personnel to escort this accused.”
Mangalore jail superintendent Doddakamiah said, “The boy has received court permission to take tuition inside the jail as well as to appear for the exams. A head constable and a constable from the rural police station took the boy out at 8.15am. We did not see which vehicle he travelled in. We have control only inside the jail.”
Sources in the CAR said that senior officers will be going through the court order to check if everything was done according to the rule book.
(Deepthi Shridhar , B.M.)
