Vinayaka Baliga murder case: HC quashes appointment of Ravindranath Kamath as SPP

The High Court of Karnataka has set aside the Government Order of appointing advocate Ravindranath Kamath as the Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) for conducting the trial in the criminal case of murder

The High Court of Karnataka has set aside the Government Order of appointing advocate Ravindranath Kamath as the Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) for conducting the trial in the criminal case of murder of Mangaluru-based RTI activist Vinayaka Baliga.

Justice M. Nagaprasanna passed the order while allowing a petition filed by M. Naresh Shenoy, who is the prime accused in the case, questioning the legality of the GO dated December 21, 2016, on appointing Mr. Kamath as the SPP.

The court held that the apprehension of petitioner-accused is “well founded” that “he would not be subjected to a fair trial in light of appointment of Mr. Kamath”, who had represented the causes of the victim’s father, Ramachandra Baliga, and sister Anuradha Baliga against the petitioner in various courts, including the High Court, prior to his appointment as the SPP.