BELAGAVI: BJP leader C T Ravi on Friday filed a counter-complaint at the Khanapura police station in Belagavi, alleging an attempt to kill him by Congress leaders LaXmi Hebbalkar, Chennaraj Hattiholi, D K Shivakumar, Siddaramaiah and others. The alleged incident occurred at Suvarna Vidhana Soudha in Belagavi.
CT Ravi claimed that the police brought him to the Khanapura police station without providing a reason. “Police brought me to Khanapura police station around 8 pm pm Thursday. They didn’t tell me in which case they brought me. They’re not registering my complaint; they’re not even filing a zero FIR. If something happens to me, the Congress government must take responsibility”, the BJP leader alleged.
Ravi further accused Congress leaders and the police of conspiring against him. “By registering a false case, they’re conspiring to murder me. I have already filed a complaint. It’s been three hours since I was brought to the police station, and I haven’t been told why. If something happens to me, the police, D K Shivakumar, Laxmi Hebbalkar and their team will be responsible”, he said.
Ravi also expressed concern over his treatment, claiming it was similar to actions taken during the Emergency period. “They’re treating me like a criminal, and it’s creating doubt in me. I have worked as a minister and am a people’s representative. They’re acting the way they did during the ‘Emergency,'” the BJP leader added.
Meanwhile, Opposition leader in the Assembly and BJP leader R Ashoka criticized the Belagavi City Police Commissioner, alleging that Ravi was tortured after being taken into custody. Ashoka said, “The police station has become a Congress party office. As elected members, we have been sitting here for the last 4-5 hours. The Police Commissioner is not giving the acknowledgment. The Police Commissioner tortured CT Ravi; he was bleeding from the head. The entire Karnataka is under ‘goondaraj.’ The BJP will protest tomorrow. I want to tell the police officers that this is not a permanent government. Think of the law and order situation”.
CT Ravi’s advocate Chetan said, “As soon as we received information, we immediately rushed to Khanapura Police Station. We were prohibited from entering the police station for about an hour. Every accused has the right to meet their counsel during custody or interrogation. Despite that, we were not allowed to go in for 1.5 hours. When we met CT Ravi, he said he wanted to lodge an FIR as there were threats to his life. One complaint was drafted, but the FIR was still not registered. This is nothing but high-handedness. BJP MLAs and MLCs will take up the matter in the Assembly”.
He further alleged that the police were biased. “The police are expected to be impartial regardless of the ruling government. CT Ravi was injured while police were forcefully taking him. This is like the Emergency situation. We will file complaints before the National Human Rights Commission and the Karnataka Human Rights Commission”, he added.
Earlier, Laxmi Hebbalkar alleged that BJP MLC CT Ravi used “obscene words” after a heated exchange during which Ravi allegedly called Rahul Gandhi a drug addict. Legislative Council members from Congress filed a complaint with Chairman Basavaraj Horatti after the incident.
Following Hebbalkar’s complaint, CT Ravi was taken into custody from Suvarna Soudha. The FIR was filed at the Hirebagewadi Police Station in Belagavi over his alleged “derogatory remarks” against Karnataka Minister Lakshmi Hebbalkar.
Responding to the FIR, CT Ravi refuted the allegations, calling them baseless. The BJP leader said, “It is the habit of Congress to make false allegations. They did it against Home Minister Amit Shah, and now they are doing the same to me”. (ANI)