KAKINADA: The SC-ST court judge M. Nageswara Rao on Monday granted conditional interim bail to the accused ruling party MLC Anantha Udaya Bhaskar alias Anantha Babu as his mother Manga Ratnam died on Sunday.
Anantha Babu is accused of killing his ex-car driver and Dalit youth Veedhi Subrahmanyam three months back, and he is a remand prisoner in Central Jail in Rajamahendravaram of East Godavari district.
The regular bail petition was scheduled to be heard on Monday. But in the meantime, the mother of the accused passed away on Sunday. Therefore, citing it as the cause, counsel for Anantha Babu pleaded with the judge to grant bail for two weeks for his client.
But Andhra Pradesh Civil Rights Association state president and also AP Bar Council member Muppalla Subba Rao strongly objected to the plea and said that two weeks' time should not be granted as the accused might influence the witnesses.
So, he said that the period should be much shorter only to enable the accused to attend the last rites of his mother. After hearing both sides, the judge granted three days' bail to Anantha Babu with certain conditions. He should surrender to the police again on Aug. 25 at the Central Jail at Rajamahendravaram.
He should not move out of his residence, the last rites place, and he should not meet anyone connected with the case. He should always be escorted by the police. He should not indulge in any activity which might have an influence on the case.
