Mounesh Vishwakarma
Daijiworld Media Network – Bantwal (EP/SP)

Bantwal, Dec 4: Farmers in Bantwal who were slapped with cases nine years ago after they protested against the order passed against use of river water and also against unscheduled load shedding by Mescom, have been acquitted. The protest had been held under the leadership of River Water Consumers Forum in 2005.

The court, finding that the cases filed by the police are not backed by enough evidence, ordered release of all the 21 accused. It came to the conclusion that the cases lack substance and enough proof to prove the guilt of the farmers.

The protests were held in front of the office of Mescom in 2005. The then police circle inspector had ordered for caning of the protesting farmers. Several farmers were injured in the lathi charge that followed. The police had slapped cases against protesters' committee president Sarapadi Subbanna Shetty, Jayaram Krishna Polali, Venkateshwara Bhat, Sarapadi Ashok Shetty, Babu Master, Anantha Krishna Bhat, Purushotham Poojary, Marshall Gonsalves, Karunakar Alva, Shashidhar Poojary, Vishwanatha Shetty, Venkateshwara Bhat, Gopalakrishna Prabhu, Sheena Ballal, Vasanth Prabhu, B T Narayan Bhat, Damodar Gowda, Ramanna Bangera, Ashok Kumar Barimaru, Rajesh Rai and Shashindra Acharya relating to the incident.

The farmers named as accused in police files had obtained anticipatory bail from district sessions court on April 20, 2013. When the case was being investigated in the court there were several attempts for striking a compromise. None of them were fruitful. Sullia police Circle inspector, Sudarshan, after investigating the case, had filed charge sheets in the court.

Though decisions were taken to withdraw cases against farmers in the state when B S Yeddyurappa was the Chief Minister, the cases against these farmers were not dropped. Though later when D V Sadananda Gowda was the chief minister, there were attempts to close the case, there were arguments that it cannot be closed as there are complaints against the Human Rights Commission.

However after prolonged hearing, the court has acquitted all the accused saying that there is no evidence against the accused. Advocate Jayaram had represented the accused in the cases.

Senior farmer leader Sarapady Subbanna Shetty, speaking after the court delivered the judgment, expressed his happiness for the success of the farmers. It has shown that there justice will prevail at the end, he said.

Farmer leaders, who were present on the occasion, celebrated their success by sharing sweets.