Belagavi: In a first of its kind in state, an e-court was set up here on Friday to hear a murder case involving underworld gangster Bannanje Raja and his 10 associates.
The proceedings were conducted by District Principal and Sessions Judge R.J. Satish Singh, who is also judge of Karnataka Organised Crimes Act (KOCA) Court in Belagavi.
Bannanje was charged with getting an Ankola-based businessman R.N. Nayak killed by his associates for which he was extradited to Karnataka from Morocco in August 2015. Before the case was adjourned to March 10, the judge ordered for seizure of movable and immovable properties belonging to three other accused in the same case, who have been absconding for a long time.
The judge questioned all 11 accused lodged in Hindalga prison including Bannanje from the e-court set up in Belagavi. In wake of attempts being made by six sharpshooters last week to free murderer Dinesh Shetty from Hindalga prison, the courts in Belagavi have taken precautions to avoid bringing notorious criminals out of the jail for court hearings.
