High drama surrounding the arrest of a BJP MLC continued on Friday with C.T. Ravi alleging that the police were hatching a conspiracy to kill him in their custody in Belagavi district of Karnataka.
C.T. Ravi was arrested over charges of sexual harassment following his alleged derogatory statement against Minister for Women and Child Welfare Laxmi Hebbalkar.
In her police complaint, Minister Laxmi had accused C.T. Ravi of using highly objectionable words against her on the floor of the Legislative Council.
C.T. Ravi was arrested by Hirebagewadi police from the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha of Belagavi on Thursday evening.
Later, he was taken to Khanapur police station. From there, Ravi was taken to different locations by the police throughout the night.
At around 3 A.M. on Friday, the BJP MLC refused to go with the police to Ramadurga and questioned why he was being taken to various locations. He sat on dharna on the road and claimed that the police were conspiring to murder him.
C.T. Ravi also questioned the police, asking them why they were not taking him into custody.
In my 35 years of political career, I never faced such a situation. The police get instructions from time to time from above and act accordingly. The police have also become helpless. I had come to attend the session and the Speaker was my caretaker.".
"The Chairperson of the Legislative Council will give a ruling on what happened in the session. Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar had attacked me verbally. I was given threats of murder publicly and attacked thrice in the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha. I have filed a complaint with the Khanapur police station and they have not registered the FIR and only given acknowledgement of receipt of my complaint," Ravi alleged.
The video showing Ravi being taken forcefully into the police vehicle with blood trickling down from his forehead has surfaced and raised questions on handling of the case by the police.
The police had taken Ravi to an undisclosed location from Ramdurga. He was brought to Belagavi Community Health Centre for a health checkup at 10 A.M and sources stated that he would be produced before the Belagavi court.
A mini chaos and drama unfolded in the Council during a heated debate session, earlier with Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi allegedly being called a "drug addict" by C.T. Ravi, said sources.
Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar slammed Ravi and had allegedly called him a "murderer".
Replying back, the BJP leader allegedly called the woman Minister a "prostitute," which brought her into tears.
The BJP has sought a statewide protest condemning the arrest of C.T. Ravi.
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