'Stay not related to Rajkumar release'

By Our Special Correspondent

BANGALORE, AUG. 29. The Chief Minister, Mr. S. M. Krishna, today said that the State Advocate- General, Mr. A. N. Jayaram, would be asked to defend the Government's action in the Supreme Court with regard to the special leave petition (SLP) filed by Mr. Abdul Kareem seeking a stay on the bail of the 51 TADA detenus, whose release the brigand, Veerappan, had demanded. Mr. Kareem is the father of the police officer, Shakeel Ahmed, killed by the brigand in 1992.

The Supreme Court, which heard the SLP today, posted the matter to September 1 and asked the Karnataka Government to file counter objections, if any.

The Government would do so, but this would not delay the process of getting Mr. Rajkumar released from Veerappan, who had been keeping him and three others hostage since July 31. ``He (Veerappan) is concerned about our intentions and we are clear in them.'' The adjournment of the hearing and the early release of Mr. Rajkumar were unrelated, he said.

Asked whether he would explain this stand through All India Radio, which Veerappan is supposed to be listening to, Mr. Krishna said, ``we need to explain our stand to the Supreme Court and not to Veerappan.''

To a question whether his Government would persuade Mr. Kareem to withdraw the SLP, the Chief Minister said ``every citizen has the right to pursue his fundamental right and the State Government recognises that.''

To another question on the Government's hastiness in dropping charges against the TADA detenus without setting up a review committee, the Chief Minister said he could not answer it as the matter was ``sub-judice''.

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