Karnataka Minister of State for Agro-food Processing Raju Gowda on Friday appealed to Veerappan not to harm Nagappa saying the government was making efforts to send Mani.

 

In a 2-minute message, being broadcast by the local stations of All India Radio in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, Gowda told Veerappan that the state government was "sincere" in sending Mani.

 

Making the appeal in Tamil, Gowda told Veerappan that Mani has already been granted conditional bail by the Karnataka high court on Thursday and that the government was making all efforts to secure bail in two more additional cases from the lower courts at Kollegal and Chamarajnagar.

 

"We are aware that the 12-day deadline you have set to send Mani is nearing. In view of the government's commitment to get Nagappa released by you, all measures are being taken to send Mani. Please bear with us. Once Mani gets bail in other two cases, we will arrange to send him into the forest soon," Gowda said.

 

Meanwhile, the hearing in the bail application case at Kollegal court, which was taken up on Friday, has been adjourned for Saturday as the advocates from both the sides could not conclude their arguments.

 

In a related development, the government has shifted Mani from Bellary jail to Mysore jail to pave way for his entry into the forest after he secures bail in the two remaining cases.

 

While a favourable ruling is expected from the Kollegal court on Saturday in the wake of the conditional bail granted by the Karnataka high court in Bangalore on Friday in three cases, the state government is anxiously waiting for the Chamarajnagar court to take up the fifth and the last case against Mani for securing bail.

 

The additional case at the Chamarajnagar court was adjourned on Friday for December 4. But the public prosecutor has already moved an application in the court to advance the hearing date.

 

Mani has, however, said he would decide about entering the forest only after he was released by the government.

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