K'taka sexual harassment case: Accused advocate's wife arrested

The Karnataka Police have arrested the wife and another person on charges of helping accused senior advocate K.S.N. Rajesh Bhat, who is still elusive even after the police department launched a hunt for him in October, police sources said on Friday.

The victim filed a case of sexual harassment against the accused senior advocate Bhat on October 18. According to police sources, the accused's wife and another person named Achyuth Bhat were found to be allegedly cooperating with the advocate and helping him to escape from the police. Both the accused have been produced before the court and they were released on bail, police sources said.

Earlier, the Karnataka High Court had rejected the bail petition of the accused K.S.N. Rajesh accused of sexually harassing a law graduate at his office in Mangaluru. Police Commissioner Mangaluru, N. Shashikumar stated the police had convinced the court why the accused advocate shouldn't get bail. The court also issued arrest orders against him.

The police have not been able to arrest him so far and have issued a Lookout notice to prevent him from escaping to another country. All his bank accounts have been freezed.

The police department has suspended two police officers including a female sub-inspector for dereliction of duty in connection with the case and arrested three persons.

The victim had questioned the police as to why they have not been able to arrest the accused for so long. The accused advocate K.S.N. Rajesh Bhat had been suspended from the membership of the Karnataka State Bar Council until further orders and instructions were given not to practice at the courts following the FIR on him.

The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) authorities had directed the accused advocate not to continue as the Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) of ACB at Third Additional District and Sessions court.