Bengaluru: The State government is learnt to have decided to 'go slow' on the arrest of two journalists, as recommended by Privilege Committee of the State Legislative Assembly for publishing them for publishing defamatory articles against a few sitting legislators, on 'health grounds' of one of the scribes.
According to sources, the Assembly Speaker K.B. Koliwad reportedly directed home department to wait for some time after reports of Ravi Belagere, editor of 'Hi Bangalore', a weekly tabloid, being treated in a hospital for several ailments.
However, the process would continue on medical treatment and on humanitarian grounds it has been decided to temporarily put off the course of action". This decision followed CM Siddaramaiah's statement in New Delhi on Wednesday that home department had been asked not to immediately arrest two scribes, as one of them was under medical treatment.
Even AICC General Secretary and Karnataka In-Charge K C Venugopal too batted for freedom of press and had assured to take action in this regard.
There had been strong opposition from both ruling and opposition parties legislators against the 'harsh decision' of sentencing two scribes for a year imprisonment and Rs 10,000 fine on each by privilege committee. They had appealed to the CM and PCC President Dr G. Parameshwar to prevail upon the Speaker to intervene.
On Wednesday, the Legislative Assembly Secretary S. Murthy had held meeting with senior officials and sought Action Taken Report (ATR) regarding implementation of the committee's decision.
The officials were learnt to have told that they had not been able to arrest Belagere who was under medical treatment in Hubballi. The proceedings of the meeting had been sent to the Speaker for his reference.
How it unfolded
June 21: Speaker K.B. Koliwad announces the decision of the privilege committee to give one-year jail term to two tabloid editors Anil Raj and Ravi Belagere
June 23: Police go to Dharwad to arrest Ravi Belagere, but are unable to do so as he has been admitted to a private hospital
June 26: Belagere gets admitted to a government hospital, KIMS at Hubballi
June 26: Belagere and Raj move the high court seeking anticipatory bail
June 28: Additional chief secretary and DG and IG of police meet assembly
secretary S. Murthy and explain why they cannot arrest Belagere
June 28: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah says that since Belagere is ill, he will not be arrested.
June 29: Koliwad too says since Belagere is ill, he has asked the police not to arrest him.
