Byndoor JDS candidate Ravi Shetty gets threat call from Dubai
Udupi, May 4: Byndoor JDS candidate Ravi Shetty has reportedly got threatening call from Dubai from an unknown person who asked Shetty withdraw from contesting the election, according to a complaint lodged in Kollur police station.
Speaking to reporters here on Friday, Shetty said that when he was campaigning on May 3, he received an international call from an unknown person who threatened him to withdraw his candidature or face the consequence. Against this, he has lodged a complaint at Kollur police station and informed the deputy commissioner and the SP. Responding to his complaint, the department has provided security to him, he said.
He has received another call on April 17 from a local person who asked money for campaigning. When he declined to give money, he asked to join BJP. He has given that phone number also to the police. After two days of that call, someone has done black magic against him in front of his house. He has also complained against this to Byndoor police, he said.
As he has been trying to organize the party, some people have been trying to threaten him. He would not budge for such action, instead he would intensify the campaigning, he added.
Party district president Yogesh Shetty, state secretary Shekar Kotian, Byndoor constituency president Sandesh Bhat and spokesperson Pradeep G were present.
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Karnataka govt forms SIT to probe cases against BJP MLA Munirathna
Bengaluru, Sep 21: The Karnataka government on Saturday constituted a Special Investigation Team headed by Additional Director General of Police (CID) B K Singh to probe three criminal cases registered against BJP MLA Munirathna, including a casteist slur and a rape case.
The announcement came after a court remanded Munirathna to 14 days’ judicial custody in an alleged rape case earlier in the day.
The investigation team also comprises three IPS officers, Labhu Ram, Soumyalatha S K and C A Simon.
The team has been asked to probe not only the three cases against him but also all the cases registered against the MLA and his aides in various police stations across the state.
Munirathna was arrested a week ago in connection with two FIRs being lodged against him for alleged harassment, threats and casteist abuse.
Soon after he was released on bail, he was arrested in a rape case and was remanded to judicial custody on Saturday.
The cases against the Rajarajeshwarinagar MLA were filed at Vyalikaval police station on September 13.
In the first FIR filed by the police based on a complaint by Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) contractor Cheluvaraju, the MLA is accused of demanding Rs 30 lakh as a bribe and threatening to terminate his contract if he did not pay the money.
The contractor alleged that Munirathna had initially demanded Rs 20 lakh in 2021 for a solid waste disposal contract. However, despite making that payment for getting 10 auto trippers for a waste management contract, he was not sanctioned those vehicles by the civic body.
According to the FIR, Cheluvaraju was being repeatedly harassed by the MLA, who allegedly verbally abused him and also physically assaulted him.
In the complaint, the contractor further alleged that the MLA did not allow him to execute his work and had even slapped him in September 2023.
Three others, including government officials, were also named in the FIR for allegedly threatening, abusing and harassing the contractor.
Cheluvaraju also claimed in the complaint that he contemplated ending his life because of the repeated harassment.
The contractor has also released a purported audio recording of a phone conversation between him and Munirathna.
According to the police, the second FIR against the accused MLA was filed on the complaint of a BBMP corporator who alleged that Munirathna had hurled casteist abuse, and insulted his caste and family.
The third case was registered on September 19 against Munirathna and six others following the complaint by a 40- year-old woman who alleged that the rape took place at a private resort within the Kaggalipura police station’s jurisdiction.
While Munirathna said the allegations against him were "far from truth", the BJP called it the politics of vendetta.
"For the last 15 years, there have been no allegations by a contractor or from the public that Munirathna has used derogatory language. After the Lok Sabha polls and results, conspiracies have been planned against me," the MLA said.
