Karnataka HC rejects anticipatory bail plea of BJP MLA Byrathi Basavaraj in murder case
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka High Court on Friday rejected the anticipatory bail plea of BJP MLA Byrathi Basavaraj in connection with the murder of a rowdy sheeter.
The case pertains to the murder of Shivaprakash alias Biklu Shivu, who was hacked to death at Bharathi Nagar in the city in July this year.
During the course of the investigation, the police began probing the alleged role of Basavaraj in the crime, who has been named as the fifth accused in the FIR.
Apprehending arrest, the MLA approached the High Court seeking anticipatory bail.
Justice Sunil Dutt Yadav heard the petition and declined to grant anticipatory bail to Basavaraj.
The court directed him to approach the trial court with an appropriate application.
Significantly, the High Court also refused to grant any interim protection from arrest, thereby clearing the way for the investigating agencies to summon or arrest the MLA as part of the probe.
However, the court offered limited relief by clarifying that the provisions of the Karnataka Control of Organised Crime Act (KOCA) would not apply to this case.
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SC stays UGC regulation pertaining to definition of caste discrimination
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court on Thursday stayed a recent University Grants Commission (UGC) regulation after various pleas were filed contending that the Commission adopted a non-inclusionary definition of caste-based discrimination and excluded certain categories from institutional protection.
A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi issued notices to the Centre and the UGC on the pleas challenging the regulation.
The new regulations mandating all higher education institutions to form "equity committees" to look into discrimination complaints and promote equity were notified on January 13.
The University Grants Commission (Promotion of Equity in Higher Education Institutions) Regulations, 2026, mandated that these committees must include members of the Other Backward Classes (OBC), the Scheduled Castes (SC), the Scheduled Tribes (ST), persons with disabilities, and women.
The new regulations replaces the UGC (Promotion of Equity in Higher Educational Institutions) Regulations, 2012, which was largely advisory in nature.
The pleas assailed the regulation on the grounds that caste-based discrimination is defined strictly as discrimination against members of the SCs, STs and OBCs.
It said that by limiting the scope of "caste-based discrimination" only to SC, ST and OBC categories, the UGC has effectively denied institutional protection and grievance redressal to individuals belonging to the "general" or non-reserved categories who may also face harassment or bias based on their caste identity.
Protests were held at various places against the regulations, with student groups and organisations demanding its immediate rollback.
