Anticipatory bail for news channel editor in 'extortion' case

Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court on Wednesday granted anticipatory bail to Kannada news channel Power TV's managing director-cum-editor Rakesh Shetty in an extortion case lodged by the city's Central Crime Branch (CCB) in September.

"Justice BA Patil granted anticipatory bail to Shetty on furnishing two sureties of Rs 50,000 and gave 20 days to apply for regular bail at the sessions court," his counsel AS Ponnanna told reporters here.

Shetty sought anticipatory bail after an additional city civil court rejected his plea on September 28 in the extortion case lodged by Ramalingam Construction Ltd director C Ramalingam against him on September 24.

The complainant claimed that Shetty had forced him to claim on record that he paid bribes to persons close to Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa and his family, including his second son BY Vijayendra. When Ramalingam's recording in a sting operation was telecast on Power TV in a series of episodes from September 2-23, the CCB police raided the channel's office in the city and shut down its operations on September 28.

The state government entrusted the case to the CCB police after the channel aired Ramalingam's claims that he was forced to pay bribes for government contracts to the CM's relatives.

The complaint also alleged that Shetty had approached Ramalingam in June, claiming that he had connections with Union Home Minister

Amit Shah and hence would be able to get central and State contracts to his construction firm.

Senior advocate C.V. Nagesh appeared for Ramalingam with an impledment plea and Public Prosecutor Sheelavanth for the State government. IANS