Person accused of receiving stolen property denied bail

UDUPI: The second additional chief judicial and judicial magistrate first class court here has denied bail to a person accused of receiving gold and silver ornaments and pooja articles valued at Rs 25-30 lakh belonging to Sri Mahalingeshwara Temple, Uchchila, Udupi. The assistant commissioner of the department of Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment had filed a complaint against Ganesh Bhat, hereditary priest of the temple in Padubidri police station under crime number 31/2014.
During investigation, police found out that Ganesh Bhat had misused the gold and silver jewellery and the pooja articles and sold them to his friend Nagaraj Bhat. Police arrested Nagaraj and produced him before the above court on May 2. Nagaraj subsequently applied for bail, which B Prakashchandra Shetty, senior assistant public prosecutor (APP) opposed. The judge Sunitha upheld senior APPs contention that he should not be given bail given the severity of charges against the accused.