Theft of Rs 46,000, bail amount of Rs 50,000!

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: Two of the five accused in the theft of money from a temple ‘hundi’ five years ago will have to pay more than the amount they stole for their bail bond. Five persons allegedly stole Rs 46,000 from a temple hundi in Bharamasagara, Davangere and distributed it among themselves.

Two of the accused were ordered to be released on bail by the High Court with the condition that they submit a personal bond of Rs 50,000 each. Basheera Bi and Dadapeer, both residents of Davangere approached the HC for bail after their pleas for anticipatory bail were rejected in the lower court. The petition came up before Justice Rajendra Badamikar.

The two are facing a case before the II Additional Civil Judge and JMFC, Chitradurga. A complaint had been filed by the president of the management committee of Maheshwara Temple, Lakshmisagar village that the temple’s hundi had been broken open and money stolen from it on November 26, 2017.

The police could not find the culprits and a C-Final report was filed and the case was closed. During the course of the investigation of a different crime, one of the accused confessed to the theft in the Maheshwara Temple. The old case was reopened and chargesheet filed against five accused including Basheera Bi and Dadapeer.

The two along with three others had stolen Rs 46,000 from the hundi after breaking it open. Granting them bail the HC said, “The offence is said to have been committed five years back and offences alleged are not punishable with death or life imprisonment. The entire case is based on the statement of the co-accused.

The investigation has already been concluded and a charge sheet has been filed. Under the circumstances, I do not find any impediment to admit the petitioners for anticipatory bail.” The HC imposed the condition that the two accused execute “a personal bond for a sum of Rs 50,000 with one surety for the like-sum to the satisfaction of the trial Court.”