Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (SP)

Udupi, Jan 12: The district chief and POCSO special court here, through an order issued on Friday January 11, extended the period of judicial custody and body warrant of Chandra K Hemmady (40), a journalist facing charges of forcing children to have unnatural sex with him, till January 24.

Chandra, who has been kept in the Hiriyadka sub-jail, was brought to the court with police escort. Judge of the court, C M Joshi, extended the custody through an order.

When he was produced in the court on December, Chandra's judicial custody had been extended till January 11. As this period ended, Chandra was produced in the court on Friday. The judicial custody extension relates to the first POCSO case registered against the accused in Byndoor police station, while the body warrant period was extended in the remaining 20 cases.

Chandra K Hemmady holds the dubious distinction of facing highest POCSO cases in the state. District special public prosecutor, Vijaya Vasu Poojary, presented arguments on behalf of the prosecution.