Couple who staged drowning drama released on bail

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, May 19, 2012: The Mangalore city court on Friday released Shrinivas Padakannayya (26) and his wife Swathi (21), who had been arrested for misleading the police with a fake drowning story to evade debtors, on bail. 

The police on Thursday arrested Swathi, who had told a false tale that her husband had fallen into the river after their scooter skidded near Kuloor Bridge; her husband Padakannayya, who told a false story of drowning, kidnap, and robbery; and her father Vijayendra Rao, who supported them. 

The city court released them on bail because the police had arrested them under Sections 177 and 182 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), which are non cognizable and bailable sections. 

The city court also rejected the police department’s request to take Padakannayya into police custody for further investigation. 

The family had staged the entire drowning and kidnap drama to avoid repaying the huge loans they had taken from money lenders.