BJP leader CT Ravi produced before Belagavi district court after medical checkup

BELAGAVI: BJP leader C T Ravi was on Friday produced before the district court by the Belagavi police. Before being taken to court, Ravi underwent a medical checkup at the Mutga Health Centre in Belagavi.

An FIR was filed against him following a complaint made by Women and Child Development Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar over alleged derogatory remarks made by Ravi about her.

Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar slammed the BJP leader, saying, “There was a discussion over disrespect to Babasaheb Ambedkar. There was a protest over it as he called Rahul Gandhi a drug addict. There is proof that he has used abuse for the lady MLA Lakshmi Hebbalkar, you have all the videos and documents. Why did he call Rahul Gandhi a drug addict? Is it Chikkamagaluru’s culture, BJP culture, and Indian culture? Show everything, I’ll give you proof.”

Shivakumar also rejected Ravi’s claims that the police were attempting to murder him. The Deputy CM said, “No one is murdering anyone. I saw one video clip, when the police allowed them to meet, they had a BJP meet. Is the police station the place for holding such a meeting? The police behaved very well. We are not interfering in anything; the police allowed all of them inside. I’m asking the police how they allowed such a meeting. Family members or 1-2 people can meet, but why did they have a meeting inside? Who is murdering them? It’s natural that supporters of Lakshmi Hebbalkar protested; it happened out of emotions because such filthy words were used against their leader”.

Meanwhile, state BJP chief B Y Vijayendra slammed the way the situation was handled, alleging that the police were under pressure from the state government. He said, “The Speaker has already given the ruling on what C T Ravi said on the Floor of the House. We have to wait for the FSL report also. At the same time, the attitude of the police department, probably the entire department, has succumbed to the pressure from the minister and the state government. Yesterday, there was a severe injury on the head of CT Ravi. Even then he was not taken to the hospital. All night he was not offered even a drop of water… Is CT Ravi a terrorist? He is a respected MLC, a former minister.”

Vijayendra also called for a statewide protest, adding, “The way the state government has handled this entire issue is unpardonable. They have treated CT Ravi as a terrorist. They will probably produce him before the magistrate; all our advocates and experts are there. We will discuss and take further action… We have called for a protest across the state, in all the district HQs. We have taken this issue seriously”.

Earlier, BJP leader CT Ravi filed a counter-complaint at the Khanapura police station in Belagavi, alleging an attempt to kill him by Congress leaders Lakshmi Hebbalkar, Chamaraja Hattiholi, DK Shivakumar, and others.

Ravi claimed that the police brought him to the station without providing a reason. He said, “Police brought me to Khanapura police station around 8 pm. 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.”

He further accused Congress leaders and the police of conspiring against him, stating, “By registering a false case, they’re conspiring to murder me.” “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. (ANI)