Vikram Simha was arrested on charges of going absconding without attending the trial in the tree felling case on Saturday.
Published Dec 31, 2023 | 7:39 PM ⚊ Updated Jan 01, 2024 | 1:42 AM
Belur Court grants bail to Vikram Simha in Belur's wood felling and smuggling case on Sunday. (supplied)
The Senior Civil Judge of Belur in Karnataka on Sunday, 31 December, granted bail to Vikram Simha, younger brother of Mysuru MP and BJP leader Pratap Simha, one of the accused in the case of the felling of more than 126 trees in the Nandgodanahalli village in the Hassan district.
Vikram’s lawyer Chandre Gowda and Dharmegowda filed the bail application. The judge granted the bail at his official residence, where Simha was produced by the forest officials, on Sunday.
An FIR was registered against Rakesh Shetty, Jayamma, Ravi, and others based on the complaint filed by Belur Tahsildar Mamatha, who exposed the illegal wood smuggling during her field visit on 16 December.
Meanwhile, Pratap Simha claimed his brother was being made a scapegoat and had no connection to the incident.
He came down heavily on Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah with allegations of targeting his family ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Following the bail approval, Vikram Simha was released from the police custody.
Vikram Simha secures bail. “Truth will win,” he says after Simha presented before senior civil judge & secured bail. He was arrested yesterday in Bengaluru. https://t.co/PV9nkEVK0T
— Anusha Ravi Sood (@anusharavi10) December 31, 2023
Vikram Simha faced charges of absconding without attending trial, leading to his arrest in connection with the case. He was arrested in Bengaluru city by Forest Department officials with the aid of the local police.
Upon securing bail, Vikram Simha told reporters in Belur: “I have received justice in the court, and I appreciate the support you all have extended in this process. I am content.”
He added: “I went there for farming purposes, and I found myself accused of various charges. It seems like a political conspiracy. However, the court has granted me justice.”
Simha however, refrained from responding to further questions.
Meanwhile, Hassan Chief Conservator of Forests (CCF) Saurabh Kumar told South First: “I took charge on Sunday. I am still going through the details of the case.”
He added: “We had requested the court to include his name also in the case as he was not named in the FIR. The court approved the inclusion of his name in the case but didn’t give into our custody.”
On the role of Vikram Simha in the case, he said: “The investigative officer has interrogated him. I am yet to have a word with him. The probe is underway.”
In response to the arrest of his brother, Vikram Simha, in connection with an illegal wood felling and smuggling case, BJP MP Pratap Simha strongly criticized Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, labelling it a “political conspiracy to defame him.”
Expressing his discontent with the chief minister, Pratap Simha told him through reporters in Mysuru, “You are attempting to crush me for the sake of your son’s political future. Let your family politics play out, but don’t drag my family onto the streets. Arrest our elderly mother and sister if you must.”
He added: “Mysuru’s Goddess Chamundeshwari, Mother Cauvery, and the people of Mysuru and Kodagu will not abandon me.”
ಆರೂವರೆ ಕೋಟಿ ಚೆಕ್ ಬೌನ್ಸ್ ಮಾಡಿದ್ದು, ಕೋರ್ಟ್ ನಿಂದ 6 ತಿಂಗಳು ಜೈಲು ವಾಸಕ್ಕೆ ಒಳಗಾಗಿದ್ದು ಮಧು ಬಂಗಾರಪ್ಪ, ಆದರೆ ಅರೆಸ್ಟ್ ಮಾಡಿದ್ದು ಪ್ರತಾಪ್ ಸಿಂಹನ ಸಹೋದರನ. ನಿಮ್ಮ ಕುರ್ಚಿ ಉಳಿಸಿಕೊಳ್ಳುವುದಕ್ಕಾಗಿ, ನಿಮ್ಮ ಮಗನ ಭವಿಷ್ಯಕ್ಕಾಗಿ ನನ್ನ ಕುಟುಂಬವನ್ನೇ ಬಲಿತೆಗೆದುಕೊಳ್ಳಲು ಹೊರಟರಲ್ಲಾ ಸಾರ್? pic.twitter.com/jAa566nGom
— Pratap Simha (@mepratap) December 31, 2023
On his brother’s arrest, Simha asked, “On Saturday, my brother (Vikram) was arrested at three o’clock in the afternoon. But why has he not been presented to the court so far?”
Accusing Siddaramaiah of orchestrating a political vendetta, Simha remarked, “You have filed two criminal cases against me. I must salute Siddaramaiah; he will go to any lengths for his son’s political future. To secure victory for his son’s MP election, Siddaramaiah is willing to trample on anyone.”
Continuing his criticism of the chief minister, Simha said, “Not everyone is blessed with a father like Siddaramaiah. I truly admire you. You are attempting to eliminate me because I pose a hindrance. Let your family politics continue; you don’t have many options. Goddess Chamundi and Mother Kaveri will stand by me. The people of Mysore-Kodagu Constituency are in my favour.”
Accusing Siddaramaiah of diverting attention from other issues, Simha stated, “You are a shrewd politician. An incident of a backward-class woman being paraded naked in Belagavi was conveniently overshadowed by my case.”
Simha also pointed out the political targeting he perceived, saying, “You and your cabinet members, including the deputy chief minister, all speak against me and demand an investigation on the parliament pass issue. Your son is also calling for a probe against me.”
Addressing his brother’s case, Simha clarified, “My brother was implicated in connection with a land issue in Belur. An FIR was filed on charges of illegally felling trees against Jayamma and Rajesh Shetty. Ravi fled the spot. These three accused were not arrested until 24 December. There is no mention of my brother in the FIR. Yet, you are attempting to finish off Pratap Simha by arresting him. Has my brother gone underground?”
He added: “My brother visited the Forest Department two days ago to record his statement. He never turned off his phone. His arrest, based on his mobile location, is a political conspiracy targeted at my family.”
