Date:20/12/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/12/20/stories/2007122058910300.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

Five arrested for posing as accused during trial in a court

Special Correspondent

BANGALORE: The Ulsoor Gate police have arrested five men who allegedly cheated a magistrate court by impersonating the accused in a criminal case registered in the Peenya police station.

The police said that on December 14 five persons appeared in the VII Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court posing as the accused in an assault case.

When these men could not answer certain questions posed by the magistrate, he suspected their credentials. After ascertaining that they were impersonating the accused, the court officials lodged a complaint with the Ulsoor Gate police.

Subsequently, the police arrested the five on charge of impersonation and cheating the court.

They were identified as Prashanth (25) of T. Dasarahalli, Ramesh (32) of N.R. Pura in Chikmagalur district, Lokesh (20) and Basavaraj (27) of Sira taluk in Tumkur district and Chowdesh (20) of Bharamasagara in Chitradurga district. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) B.N.S. Reddy told The Hindu on Wednesday that the accused in the assault case were employees of a bar and restaurant.

The bar owner had made the five men to impersonate the accused who were not in the city at the time of the court hearing.

During the hearing, the advocate of the complainant, who had seen the accused earlier, found that those who had appeared in the court were impersonators.