Mangaluru Police Target Bail Jumpers' Guarantors

Mangaluru City Police have launched a rigorous campaign targeting sureties of absconding individuals involved in serious crimes. Police Commissioner Sudheer Kumar Reddy CH announced that the operation identified 38 fugitives with 48 pending warrants dating from 1998 to 2023. Fifteen rowdy-sheeters have been apprehended, allowing trial proceedings to resume.

Over the past six months, all city police stations have focused on long-pending cases involving grave offenses like murder, rape, and robbery. When accused misuse bail to evade court appearances, police are now initiating legal action against the sureties. This includes fines up to Rs 1 lakh for 11 individuals and the attachment of properties belonging to 17 sureties, preventing their alienation.

The commissioner stressed the importance of due diligence for anyone acting as a surety, emphasizing their responsibility to ensure accused persons attend court. Furthermore, two cases have been registered against individuals acting as fake sureties. The crackdown also aims to apprehend suspects in older cases, such as a 1997 dacoity-cum-murder, where one accused, Chikka Hanuma, was recently captured in Andhra Pradesh.