Bengaluru: A court rejected the bail petition of Basavaraj Kannale, self-styled political activist and prime suspect in the alleged Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) recruitment scam, despite his plea that he needed to be with his wife, who is nine months pregnant.Kannale, who is in judicial custody at Bengaluru Central Prison, had sought bail along with a suspended IAS officer and another prime suspect, Gyanendra Kumar Gangwar.Arguing for Kannale, his counsel said he was innocent and that his name did not figure in the FIR. The seriousness of the allegations alone, counsel submitted, could not be a ground to deny bail.The defence also cited his wife’s advanced pregnancy, saying Kannale was the only person available to support her at this crucial stage. His continued incarceration would cause hardship to both, counsel argued.The prosecution, however, questioned the claim that Kannale needed to be with his wife. Public prosecutor Bhagyalakshmi KL told the court that Kannale had planned a trip to Uzbekistan and intended to stay there till Sept 30.“If he was genuinely concerned about his wife’s advanced pregnancy, he wouldn’t have planned a month-long sightseeing trip to Uzbekistan,” the prosecutor argued. She pointed out that Kannale’s wife is a resident of Bidar and that other family members were available to take care of her. It was also her third pregnancy, the prosecution submitted.Rejecting the bail plea, judge Nirmala Devi S said CID investigation had disclosed prima facie material against Kannale and that there was a risk of him absconding and impeding the probe if released.Describing it as a “heinous socio-economic offence”, the judge said such alleged malpractice in selection of veterinary officers could undermine the system and deprive meritorious candidates of jobs.
