Karnataka High Court Grants Bail To Two Accused Of Vandalizing Apple IPhone Unit Over Wages

The Karnataka High Court has granted bail to two persons alleged to be involved in vandalizing Apple's IPhone manufacturing unit run by Wistron Infocomm Company at Kolar Taluk on December 12, 2020.

A single bench of Justice K. Natarajan granted bail to Uday Banu Singh C (23) and Vinod Kumar H (23), who have been in custody for nearly three months.

The court said :

"Upon considering the material on record, it goes to show that the case is against 7000 unknown persons as labourers, contract labourers who were agitated. It is seen from the records that they demanded arrears of the salary and they made an agitation. The petitioners are arrested and they are in custody for almost nearly three months. The co-accused person on similar allegation has been granted bail by this Court."

It added "The allegations against these petitioners are similar to that of accused No.11 who has granted bail. Therefore, these petitioners are also entitled for bail on the ground of parity."

Prosecution case:

According to the prosecution on 12.12.2020 at about 6.00 a.m., the workers of Wistron Infocomm Company, colluded together with contract labourers and some goons, formed an unlawful assembly in front of the Company and with an intention to loot the Company, trespassed into the company premises by shouting slogans against the management and ransacked the equipments at HR block and other parts of the Company.

Further, they damaged the various articles in the Company and looted the laptops, thereby causing loss to the tune of Rs.437.70 Crores. On the complaint of Company Executive Sri Prashanth T.V, the Vemagal police registered a case at the under sections, 143, 147, 148, 323, 395, 448, 435, 427, 504, 506 read with 149 of IPC, against 7000 unknown persons.

During investigation the police have arrested these petitioners on 12.12.2020 and claimed to have recovered five laptops from each of the petitioners. They approached the Sessions Court for granting bail, but the same was rejected. Following which they moved the High Court.

Petitioners Submissions:

Advocate Vishwanatha K, appearing for the petitioners, submitted that petitioners are innocent of the alleged offence and their names are not mentioned in the FIR. The co-accused is already granted bail by this Court and these petitioners are in custody for almost three months. The petitioners are ready to abide by the conditions that may be imposed by this Court.

Prosecution opposed the plea:

The petitioners are involved in participation of agitation and looted the laptops and damaged the Company properties. Hence, prayed for dismissal of the bail petition.

Court Order:

"The committal Court/trial Court is directed to release the petitioners- accused Nos.3 and 4 on bail on each petitioner executing a personal bond for a sum of Rs.1,00,000 with two solvent sureties for the like sum to the satisfaction of the trial Court or the Committal Court.

It directed that petitioners shall not directly or indirectly tamper with any of the prosecution witnesses. They shall appear before the regular Court on all hearing dates", the order stated.