BENGULURU: The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday stayed till April 25 further proceedings against Mahesh Vikram Hegde, co-founder and editor of web portal ‘PostCard News’, for allegedly spreading “fake” news with an intention to instigate “communal unrest” on Twitter.
The HC stayed the proceedings till next date of hearing in the case, which is pending before the 1st ACMM court registered by the CCB on March 21. One of Hegde's Twitter followers is Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
He was arrested after he tweeted a photo of Jain monk Upadhyaya Mayank Sagar Ji Maharaj with the caption, “Very sad news. Yesterday in Karnataka Jain muni attacked by Muslim youth. No one is safe in Siddaramaiah’s Karnataka.”
Later, he tweeted the same content on the PostCard News handle.
Gaffar Baig, a resident of Whitefield, complained against PostCard News for allegedly publishing false news. The CCB registered a case on March 21 against Hegde and his employees Gaurav Pradhan and Deepak Shetty. He was later arrested.
Soon after Hegde’s arrest, support started pouring in for him from the BJP. Mysuru-Kodagu MP Pratap Simha, who was the first to come in his support, tweeted, “Today morning Coward Congress Govt (Karnataka) arrested @mvmeet Mahesh Vikram Hegde under unconnected IT act 66, that too by using CCB! Shame on you @INCKarnataka.”
HC dismisses Mantri techzone plea
A petition filed by Mantri Techzone challenging the decision of the State Level Environmental Impact Assessment Authority to revoke Environmental Clearance for the project was listed before the Karnataka High Court on April 10.
Namma Bengaluru Foundation (NBF) had filed an impleading application in the matter, which was pending consideration. Counsel for Mantri Techzone submitted a memo and withdrew the petition. Petition has been dismissed as withdrawn.
Sridhar Pabbisetty, CEO, Namma Bengaluru Foundation, said, “Three acres and 10 guntas of the Mantri Techzone project was in the wetlands of the Bellandur lake and hence the Environmental Clearance was revoked by the State Level Environmental Impact Assessment Authority. The Supreme Court stated the NGT is verifying the compliance of May 4, 2016 order in the Agara Bellandur Lake encroachment case.
He further added, "The matter was heard in NGT on Monday and MD of Mantri Techzone at last attended the hearing and has filed a Compliance report. He also showed the receipt of Rs 5 lakh paid as penalty to the Pollution Control board as per the directions of NGT. NGT has directed the MD of Mantri Techzone to be present on the next hearing on May 2. We are awaiting the copy of compliance report filed and will verify the statements in the report and update the NGT. We do hope that the justice is done to the Bellandur lake and the erring builder adheres to the May 4, 2016 order in its entirety at the earliest.”
