M A I N   N E W S

Uma Bharti released; case withdrawn

Hubli, September 6
In a major relief for her, former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Uma Bharti was today discharged by a court here in a 10-year old criminal case and ordered to be set free.

In a 60-page order, Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) Mohammed Ismail allowed the application filed by the Additional Public Prosecutor in 2002 for withdrawal of cases against Ms Bharti and 21 others, four of whom are dead.

The much-awaited order came just a day before the 14-day judicial custody of Ms Bharti, who is now in Dharwad jail, is to end tomorrow and on the sixth day of the BJP-led campaign for withdrawal of the case against her.

The magistrate also dismissed a batch of five applications filed by social activists, including journalist Gauri Lankesh, challenging the government’s decision to drop the cases against her.

As the order was pronounced by the magistrate in a packed court hall, BJP workers went delirious and burst crackers outside.

Later in the day, Ms Uma Bharti walked out of a temporary jail in Dharwad after being discharged in the case.

The firebrand BJP leader’s release came barely a day before her 14-day custody was to end tomorrow. She was lodged at the guest house of the University of Agricultural Sciences in Dharwad, which had been converted into a temporary jail as the Hubli sub-jail and the Central Prison at Hindalga in Belgaum did not have adequate facilities.

Ms Bharti was celebrating Janmashtami by offering ‘puja’ to Lord Krishna inside her temporary jail when the magistrate ordered the discharge.

Describing the release of party leader and former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Uma Bharti from prison by a court today as a ‘great victory for the party, people and nationalist forces,’ Bharatiya Janata Party President M. Venkaiah Naidu called off the party’s agitation.

As news of the court verdict was received by the BJP, the party announced in Bangalore that its week-long agitation for withdrawal of cases against Ms Bharti, into its sixth day today, had been converted into “Vijayotsav”.

“It has renewed our confidence in the judiciary of our country,” BJP Karnataka unit president Ananth Kumar told reporters.

He said after her release, Ms Bharti would proceed to Udupi, famous for its several centuries-old Krishna temple, and address the BJP rally in Bangalore on September 8, along with former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

The BJP national office-bearers meeting in Bangalore on the same day would decide the next course of action, including on the proposed “Tiranga Yatra”, Mr Kumar said. — PTI