Mysore: In a new twist to the Nagappa hostage crisis, Tamil activist Kolathur Mani
on December 4 said he has not yet decided on undertaking the anxiously awaited
mission by him to the jungles to negotiate the release of Janata Dal – United (JD-U)
leader H Nagappa with forest brigand Veerappan.
As the crisis dragged on for the 102nd day on December 4 and government awaited his
securing bail to enable his mediatory mission, Mani told reporters at Chamarajnagar
that he would take a decision on going as emissary only after consulting his
advocates, relatives and friends, if he was enlarged on bail.
Mani, who was produced before the Chamrajanagar court amidst tight security, said he
had not yet received any official message from the Karnataka government requesting
him to go to the forests to negotiate with the bandit.
Formalities regarding executing the conditional bail granted by the Karnataka High
Court were completed on December 4 by the Chamarajnagar court which however
adjourned to January 3 the hearing on his case relating to alleged supply of arms to
Veerappan.
In Bangalore, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister D B Chandregowda told reporters
that the government would talk to Mani on his mediation mission only after he
secures bail in all the cases.
Meanwhile, Mani's counsel T Prakash said that he would move the bail applications in
a Sessions Court on December 5, in the wake of Kollegal court's order last week that
it had no jurisdiction to entertain the two bail applications.
PTI
