Take police 'highhandedness' on CT Ravi seriously: K'taka Governor to Siddaramaiah

Bengaluru: Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot has written a letter to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah over the alleged police highhandedness against BJP MLC C. T. Ravi in connection with the derogatory remark case, asking him to consider the matter seriously, sources said on Wednesday.

The Governor has asked Siddaramaiah to initiate action against the Belagavi Police Commissioner and the SP of Belagavi over highhandedness and also to look into the demand of providing security to the BJP MLC.

"I am advising you to take steps in this regard as you (CM Siddaramaiah) are also a representative of people like Ravi," he stated.

The Governor wrote a letter in this regard after a delegation of the state BJP leaders complained to him about the issue on December 24. The state government has yet to respond to the letter.

Karnataka BJP delegation has demanded Governor Gehlot to intervene in the investigation of the derogatory remark case involving BJP MLC Ravi and state Women and Child Development Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar to ensure a judicial inquiry.

The delegation, headed by Leader of the Opposition R. Ashoka, former CM and BJP MP Basavaraj Bommai, Leader of the Opposition in the Council Chalawadi Narayanaswamy, briefed the Governor on how Ravi was "arrested, tortured, denied food, taking him to undisclosed areas".

"Ravi comes from the sensitive naxal-prone area of Chikkamagaluru and he also faces threats from Islamic fundamentalists. All previous governments had provided him with a gunman facility. Despite all this, the move of the Police Department to take Ravi to a quarry, sugarcane field overnight creates suspicion," the team had submitted.

Leader of the Opposition R. Ashoka stated, "We have told the Governor that this is a buffoon government. Ravi should be given proper security. An unbiased investigation has to be carried out. While C.T. Ravi was taken to the police station, I saw the Police Commissioner getting calls every minute. I was there for five hours. Who called him? Whether it was CM or the Dy CM? If it comes out, there will be transparency in the investigation."

The row erupted on December 19 during a heated debate in the Karnataka Legislative Council. C.T. Ravi allegedly referred to Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, as a "drug addict".

This provoked strong reactions, with Minister Hebbalkar calling Ravi a "murderer". Ravi allegedly responded with an obscene remark directed at Hebbalkar.

The alleged comment led to Ravi's arrest on charges of using derogatory language against Hebbalkar. However, following a High Court directive, Ravi was released, creating further political drama.

The Congress government has handed over the case to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) even as Council Chairman Basavaraj Horatti stated that the case is a closed chapter and police interference is unacceptable.

Meanwhile, Minister Hebbalkar challenged Ravi to swear before Lord Manjunatheshwara at the famous Hindu pilgrimage centre in Dharmasthala in Karnataka, regarding his alleged use of derogatory words against her in the Legislative Council.