Veerappan associates release hearing in SC after 10 days

The bench directed the parties to file their responses and counter affidavits before moving an application for early hearing of the petition, which was admitted for hearing on September 1 by a three-judge bench headed by Justice S P Barucha. However, the parties were given liberty to mention before the Chief Justice for early hearing.

In a major setback to the efforts to secure release of Rajkumar, the Supreme Court on September 1 indefinitely stayed the release of 30 associates of Veerappan while coming down heavily on the Karnataka government for agreeing to the bandit’s “illegal and unreasonable” demands.

The bench headed by Justice Bharucha said if the present state government could not maintain law and order, it must quit and make way for others who could do it.