Bail yes, but still in jail

Bail yes, but still in jail

58 Revellers Spend 2nd Day Behind Bars; Blame It On Procedures

TIMES NEWS NETWORK


Bangalore: First they were arrested for the mere offence of partying in a farmhouse and put in jail. Then they were accused of consuming drugs without any trace of evidence. But their woes did not end there. Even though 58 of the 101 persons were granted bail on Monday, they could not walk out of the jail due to procedural issues. So two nights in a row in the jail house for the sin of wanting to dance and, maybe, drink in a city that doesn’t know the meaning of ‘fun’ anymore.
Of the arrested, even those who coughed up a surety of Rs 20,000
and Rs 3,000 towards bail could not be released because the bail papers did not reach the Parappana Agrahara jail authorities before 6.30 pm, the cut-off time to entertain such orders. The remaining 43 persons could not mobilise the Rs 25,000.
Families of those arrested went through a harrowing time on Monday, most of which was spent outside the jail waiting to take their loved ones home. Though the lawyers for the arrested kept assuring the relatives that the bail papers were signed and would reach the prison in time, it was not to be. Prison authorities made it clear the process would take place only on Tuesday morning. “The bail papers should reach us latest by 6.30 pm. Now we are closing office. We will process it tomorrow morning,’’ jail superintendent Vishwanathaiah said.
On Sunday morning, 101 persons, including 38 foreigners, were arrested by the police for partying. The police could not produce them before the court that day, as it was a holiday. They were taken to the magistrate’s house and remanded to judicial custody. Later, all the arrested were sent to Parappana Agrahara jail for the night.
Though the police failed to recover any drugs from the farmhouse, the police on Monday — much like on Sunday — continued to maintain it was indeed a rave party. The blood-samples results of the arrested are yet to come from the Forensic Science Laboratory.
The police had raided party being hosted at a farmhouse called ‘Padma Thota’ near Big Banyan tree in Chunchanakuppe near Tavarekere in the early hours of Sunday. The farm is owned by Ramakrishnaiah, who had been private secretary to Siddaramaiah, when he was deputy chief minister. The police raided the place after receiving complaints from the locals and the beat police about the party. Though the police could not find any drugs at the party, they seized liquor, sound and music systems along with several vehicles.
The police had also arrested organizers— Mohammed Adam and Rishi and his wife. Another organizer, identified as Nithin, is still absconding. Invites were through e-mails and SMSes with Delhi-based DJs flown in for the birthday party as it was publicized.
The party supposedly started around 11 pm. Around 1 am, the zonal police got a call. Around 4 am, the police raided the place. The police even waited for about two hours since it was too dark to arrest all the partygoers.
ANY ANSWERS? 1
If the farmhouse was rented out for party with the owner collecting stipulated fee from every participant, why was the owner, who violated the law by indulging in a commercial activity, not arrested? 2 Do authorities suggest no private party can be held at all in Bangalore and its vicinity? 3 Why call it the farmhouse party a rave when drugs were not found? 4
Why arrest those who attended the party instead of shutting down the party and sending people home, as used to be the norm earlier whenever there were complaints about noisy parties? 5
What is the definition of ‘scantily’ dressed? Are short skirts and spaghetti straps indecent? Why is women’s clothing such a big issue these days when serious violations against women go unnoticed and unchecked? 6
Innocent until proven guilty has become guilty until proven innocent; isn’t that a travesty of the judicial system