Nalapad case: SPP submits video footage of attack in HC

The special public prosecutor (SPP) in the Bengaluru pub assault case submitted the CCTV footage of the incident to the Karnataka High Court on Friday.

Justice Sreenivas Harish Kumar was hearing a bail petition filed by Nalapad, son of Congress MLA N A Haris.

Nalapad and six of his associates brutally assaulted Vidwath L at Farzi Cafe on February 17.

In the first half of the hearing, senior advocate appearing for Nalapad, C V Nagesh, submitted the medical records which stated that Vidwath had not sustained grievous injuries but had only suffered a nasal fracture and fracture of the ribs.

The senior advocate argued that it was just a "drunken brawl" and Nalapad and his aides had no intention of killing Vidwath.

He also submitted the discharge summary which stated that "there were no untoward incidents during Vidwath's stay at the hospital".

Justice Kumar orally observed that a discharge summary "does not" incorporate such statements by a doctor. To this, Nagesh did not have a satisfactory response and asked the court to ignore the summary.

The medical records and summary are signed by Dr Anand, a consultant plastic surgeon at the Mallya Hospital.

The SPP, M S Shyamsunder, dismissed the medical reports and the discharge summary, saying that they were fabricated.

The SPP said: "It remains a mystery as to how the petitioner's counsel obtained the medical progress records which were not even provided to the patient as it is confidential in a medico-legal case."

Shyamsunder also brought to court's notice how Haris had posted the medical discharge summary on his Facebook page in a bid to prove his son's innocence.

The SPP further stated that the police have issued a notice to Dr Anand, who is said to be the brother of a close aide of Haris.

During the arguments, the SPP relied heavily on the video footage that shows the brutality Nalapad and his associates meted out to Vidwath at the cafe.

The SPP also produced the video footage of Nalapad and his gang assaulting Vidwath's brother at the Mallya Hospital.

The SPP stated that had it not been for the video footage, the case would surely have weakened.

The CCTV footage was submitted in a closed envelope and the judge said he would watch it in his chamber. The court then adjourned the matter for Monday.