K'taka Guv writes to CM, advises personal probe into BJP MLC CT Ravi's 'police atrocity' claims
Bengaluru, Jan 8: 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.
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Real Madrid fines Valverde and Tchouaméni half a million euros each for altercation
Barcelona (AP): Real Madrid slapped players Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni with half-a-million-euro ($588,000) fines on Friday for their altercation during practice.
The massive fines came a day after the midfielders tussled when the team trained. Valverde said in a post on social media on Thursday that no punches were thrown. But Valverde knocked his head on a table and he suffered a small cut that required a brief hospital visit.
On social media, Valverde initially called it a “meaningless fight” with a teammate and said “everything has been blown out of proportion."
His employers, however, considered it a significant enough breach of team discipline to nail both Valverde and Tchouaméni with fines that bite even the bank account of a top soccer player. The half-a-million euro penalties reflect the reputational damage the club was enduring in a chaotic end to a disappointing season.
In a statement, the 15-time European champion said its disciplinary action was concluded after both players expressed to the club “their complete remorse for what happened and apologized to one another.”
Madrid added they also apologized to their teammates, the coaching staff and club supporters, as well as showing their willingness to accept whatever disciplinary action the club deemed “opportune.”
Tchouaméni was back training with Madrid on Friday, two days before they play at Barcelona in a clasico. Madrid has to win otherwise Barcelona will be crowned La Liga champion.
After being notified of the fine, he posted a public apology to the club and its fans on social media.
“What happened this week in training is unacceptable,” Tchouaméni wrote. "I say this while thinking about the example we are expected to set for young people, whether in football or at school.
“Above all, I am sorry for the image we projected of the club.”
Valverde was not at practice due to the head knock.
Both players are set to play in the World Cup next month, with Tchouaméni playing for France and Valverde for Uruguay.
Chaotic end to a poor season
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The run-in between the players, who for seasons have played side by side in Madrid's midfield, came after they argued this week in previous training sessions. But tempers boiled over on Thursday. Spanish media was rife with reports that the players previously disagreed over the club's decision to let coach Xabi Alonso go after just months on the job.
It was not the only altercation involving Madrid players during training this week. Álvaro Carreras confirmed he was in a “minor” incident with a teammate. Spanish media said he and fellow defender Antonio Rüdiger got into a scuffle.
Álvaro Arbeloa, the coach who was promoted from Madrid's reserve team when Alonso was fired in January, will face tough questions on what went wrong inside the changing room when he gives a press conference on Saturday ahead of the clasico at Camp Nou.
Madrid is facing a second consecutive campaign without a major trophy amid rumors in the Spanish media that club president Florentino Pérez is considering bringing back Jose Mourinho to straighten out his underperforming team.
