BJP MLC CT Ravi, arrested for his controversial comments about Karnataka minister Lakshmi Hebbalkar, was taken to a hospital for medical check-up in Belagavi on December 20, 2024.
After the local court transferred the case to a special court of elected representatives, the Belagavi police shifted CT Ravi, a BJP MLC, from Belagavi to Bengaluru for allegedly using abusive language against minister Lakshmi Hebbalkar. He was transported by road.
Judge Sparsh D’Souza of the Fifth Judicial Magistrate First Class Court ordered the accused to be produced before the special court of the People’s Representative in Bengaluru. The local police sought a transit order to move the accused to Bengaluru.
While the police sought permission to move Mr. Ravi to Bengaluru and transfer the case to a special court, the accused’s lawyers sought bail.
The judge asked the police how much time it would take to move the MLC. Investigators say two hours if he was taken by air and 12 hours if he was taken by road.
Officers of Hirebagewadi police station produced the MLC in the court at 11 am.
Before boarding the police van that took him outside the court premises, Mr. Ravi accused the Congress of running a dictatorial government in Karnataka. He said that the police subjected them to physical and mental torture under the pressure of the state government. ‘This dictatorship will not last long. We will put a full stop to it,’ he said.
In the court, the accused accused the police of beating him three times.
The judge asked Mr. Ravi, who was standing with folded hands in the witness and deposition room, for his name, hometown and occupation and asked if he had anything to say.
Ravi started to explain. “On Thursday evening around 6.30 pm, the police arrested me from Suvarnavidhan Soudh and took me to Hire Bagewadi police station in a jeep. From there I was taken to Nandgarh Police Station and then to Khanapur Police Station. At the police station they took my mobile phone and tried to break the smart watch I was wearing while I was talking. There I was physically beaten three times. I don’t know who attacked. I did not recognize them. This is likely because there were many policemen. Every 10 minutes the police would receive a call and the police would act accordingly. Then, they put me in a police jeep and drove me around all night. Hire Bagewadi police never told me why they arrested me and some people tried to attack me in Vidhan Soudh itself. They did not accept my complaint in this regard. They took me to Belagavi, Dharwad and Bagalkot districts till morning. After breakfast at a dhaba in Yaragatti, they took me to Muthaga Primary Health Center near Sambra. Then, I was brought to Belagavi. I haven’t even had dinner,’ he said.
BJP leaders R Ashok, Vijayendra, Arvind Bellad and others were present in the court hall.
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published – Dec 20, 2024 03:54 pm IST