Congress delegation questions IGP on delay in arrest; accuses Police of favouring BJP

Bengaluru: The High Court (HC) of Karnataka yesterday stayed the FIR against former Deputy Chief Minister (Dy.CM) and Malleswaram BJP MLA Dr. C.N. Ashwathnarayan for four weeks. Dr. Ashwathnarayan had approached the HC seeking a direction to quash the FIR lodged against him for his remarks against the then Leader of Opposition and current CM Siddharamaiah. Justice M. Nagaprasanna, who heard the petition and arguments by senior advocate Prabhuling Navadgi, said that prima facie the offence under Section 153 of the IPC (provocation for rioting) was not forthcoming.

In a meeting of BJP workers on Feb. 15, Dr. Ashwathnarayan had called upon the party supporters to “finish off Siddharamaiah just like Urigowda and Nanjegowda finished off Tipu Sultan.” The complaint was lodged at the Devaraja Police Station in Mysuru.

Navadgi, the Advocate General in the previous Government, argued the case and pointed out that the complaint by Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) Spokesperson M. Lakshmana was filed on May 24, 2023 after the new Government came to power and the FIR was registered the same day, which showed malicious intentions. Another complaint was filed in February itself and a non-cognisable report was filed in the issue, the Court was informed.

“Ashwathnarayan, during his speech, had referred to the warriors Urigowda-Nanjegowda and Tipu Sultan as a metaphor for a political fight and an electoral victory. It was made only with the intention of defeating another political rival in the elections and not meant in any literal sense. This has already been clarified both in the media and in the Houses of the Legislature,” the petition said.

“With Congress assuming power in the State, a fresh complaint was given and an FIR was registered due to political pressure. The complaint is filed only with a malicious intention of harassing the petitioner and the complaint itself speaks of expressing suspicion of threat to life, which in fact does not exist,” the petition by the former Dy.CM said.

Cong. delegation meets IGP

Meanwhile, in another development, a Congress party delegation met IGP (Southern Range) Praveen Madhukar Pawar yesterday and questioned him why Dr. Ashwathnarayan has not yet been arrested and questioned till now despite the FIR. The delegation questioned the Officer why the case was transferred to Mandya and how the former Dy.CM managed to secure bail.

The delegation alleged that the Police facilitated Dr. Ashwathnarayan to get bail and the case has not been investigated thoroughly. Congress members alleged that the Police were still working in favour of BJP despite a new Government ruling the State.

Reacting to the allegations, IGP Praveen Madhukar Pawar told the Congress members that he will seek information from the Mandya SP on why the former Dy.CM has not been arrested.

The Congress members said that after working on a play ‘Tipu Nija Kanasugalu’ with an “intention to disturb communal harmony”, former Rangayana Director Addanda C. Cariappa was working on a play based on Veer Savarkar. The party members asked the IGP to restrain Cariappa from staging the play in Mysuru for which he replied that they must contact the Mysuru City Police Commissioner for that.

The IGP said that enquiries will be done and action will be taken if the play is staged beyond Mysuru Commissionerate jurisdiction.

District Congress President Dr. B.J. Vijayakumar and Spokesperson Lakshmana were present.