Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Jun 22: Editor of weekly Kannada tabloid, 'Hi Bangalore', Ravi Belagere, and Anil Raj, editor of 'Yelahanka Voice' publication, were handed down a year each of imprisonment and Rs 10,000 each as fine by Assembly Speaker, K B Koliwad. He made this announcement in the Assembly on Wednesday June 21.

Shiraguppa MLA, Nagaraj, had filed complaint against the editor of 'Hi Bangalore' for publishing derogatory material about him, with the privileges committee of the assembly. The committee, which investigated the complaint, recommended imposition of a year of imprisonment on Ravi Belagere in addition to a fine of Rs 10,000. During the consideration of the committee's recommendations, legislators from all parties supported the recommendation and urged the chair to implement the same. As the house approved the recommendation, Koliwad announced his decision.

Assembly Speaker K B Koliwad

Editor of 'Yelahanka Voice' newspaper, Anil Raj, was facing the allegation of publishing a series of defamatory reports against Yelahanka MLA, S R Vishwanath. Therefore he faced complaint about breach of privilege.

The privileges committee headed by Kimmane Ratnakar had recommended a year of imprisonment and fine of Rs 10,000 in the case of Anil Raj. MLA, Vishwanath, requested the house to uphold this recommendation. He said that editors of some publications have been in the habit of publishing unsubstantiated reports which compromise the dignity of the house. Government's chief whip, Ashok Pattana, and other members supported this demand. The speaker, after getting the nod of members, announced the decision to impose punishment as recommended.