K’taka Guv writes to CM, advises personal probe into BJP MLC’s ‘police atrocity’ claims

PTI, Jan 9, 2025, 9:14 AM IST

Bengaluru: Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot has written to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah advising him to personally look into BJP MLC C T Ravi’s complaint alleging “police atrocity” in Belagavi, after the legislature session last month, and take necessary action.

The Governor in his letter to CM dated December 31, refers to Ravi along with his colleagues meeting him and submitting a detailed representation regarding the incident that happened after the end of the session in Belagavi.

Ravi had allegedly used a derogatory word against Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar in the Legislative Council on December 19 during an altercation between them, when the House was adjourned for a while.

He was arrested on the same day evening and taken into the police van from the premises of Suvarna Vidhana Soudha in Belagavi, where the legislature session was held, based on Hebbalkar’s complaint.

Ravi had on December 20 accused the police of “violating” human rights, as he alleged that they took him on rounds the entire night to various places, without providing proper food and rest, after his arrest on the previous evening.

The High Court had subsequently ordered the immediate release of Ravi in its interim order, observing that police failed to follow the procedures in arresting him. However, the bench of Justice M G Uma asked the BJP leader to cooperate with the investigation and be available for questioning.

The Governor in his letter to CM said, “Ravi has informed that the Commissioner of Police, Belagavi and Superintendent of Police, Belagavi with their subordinate officers have kidnapped him and carried him to dangerous remote locations like sugar cane field, open field, Khanapur, Kittur, Lokapur, Sankeshwar and various places of the district over the distance of 400 km throughout the night and also injured him to bleed in custody, terribly tortured and harassed mentally and physically which is unpardonable police atrocity.” Ravi has also informed that the complaint filed by him against the assault and atrocity at Khanapur Police Station and appeal in this regard to SP Belagavi have not been attended by the Police, the Governor said. “Therefore, he has requested me to take legal action against the erred police officers in the entire episode and also requested for additional security for his life.” “On perusal of the representation and documents, both the issues seem very serious and need your personal intervention. Therefore, I have forwarded the said representation along with this letter. Since the matter relates to the elected representative, I advise you to look into the matter personally and take necessary action,” Gehlot added.

In the wake of allegations against police for ill-treating Ravi in custody, the Belagavi police had last month clarified that the BJP leader was shifted to various places for security reasons and to avoid disrupting public order.

The Criminal Investigation Department is probing into a case in which Ravi is accused of using a derogatory word against Minister Hebbalkar in the Legislative Council, and also a case in which unknown persons have been accused of allegedly attempting to attack Ravi in the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha on December 19.