Bengaluru: A tahsildar of Bangalore North Taluk was abducted for ransom in November 2014, but surprisingly the incident came to light only 14 months later in February 2016, when the victim, Balappa Handigunda, lodged a complaint. Earlier in 2015, the Aam Aadmi Party had complained to the Special Investigation Team, investigating the Lokayukta extortion racket, about the abduction. In the latest development the high court on Thursday granted bail to one of the accused by imposing conditions. The accused, Anand Joshi, who was in judicial custody for the last two-and-a-half years, had approached the court seeking bail.
He and his associates had allegedly kidnapped Handigunda and released him after they extorted a sum of Rs 2 lakh. AAP had called for the dismissal of Handigunda, as he did not file the police complaint immediately. While granting bail, the high court observed that major portion of the investigation was over. It pointed out that the accused number 3 K. Pramod has already got bail.
