Madikeri: The work to develop the first biodiversity park of the state was launched in Harangi, by laying the foundation stone on Friday.

Legislator Appachu Ranjan, who conducted the ‘bhoomipooja’ for the biodiversity park work, said, “India is the biggest exporter of medicinal herbs. The new park will help us.”

He said that a medicinal herbal park will also be opened in Bhagamandala soon.

“Medicinal plants are needed to cure diseases. Also, the environment will be healthy if there is enough greenery,” he pointed out.

Karnataka Biodiversity Board chairperson Napanda Ravi Kalappa, who presided over the ceremony in Harangi, said that a master plan of building a model medicinal garden in the district was readied by the Board. The park is also being launch to conserve the richness of the flora of Kodagu, he added.

“The Karnataka Biodiversity Board intends to establish similar parks in every panchayat of Kodagu. The Coorg Mandarin used to be an exclusive plant to Kodagu, but is virtually not to be found anywhere now. Research is now being conducted to promote this species,” Kalappa said.

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New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court Thursday held that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) cannot arrest an accused under Section 19 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) after a special court has taken cognisance of the complaint of money laundering.

A bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan said when an accused appears before a court in pursuance of a summons, the agency will have to apply to the court concerned to get his custody.

"If the accused appears before the special court by summons (issued by court), it cannot be treated that he is in custody," it said.

"Accused who appeared before the court pursuant to the summons not required to apply for bail, and thus twin conditions of Section 45 of PMLA not applicable," the bench said in its judgment.

The twin conditions state that when an accused in a money laundering case applies for bail, the court has to first allow the public prosecutor to be heard and only when it is satisfied that the accused is not guilty and unlikely to commit a similar offence when released, can bail be granted.

The apex court judgment was pronounced on a question of whether an accused in a money laundering case has to meet the stringent twin test for bail even in cases where the special court takes cognisance of the offence.