BJP leader CT Ravi filed a counter-complaint at the Khanapura police station on Friday, alleging an attempt to murder him by Congress leaders Lakshmi Hebbalkar, Chamaraja Hattiholi, DK Shivakumar, Saddam, and others. The alleged incident occurred at Suvarna Soudha in Belagavi.
Ravi claimed he was taken to the police station without any explanation. “Police brought me to Khanapura police station around 8 pm. They didn’t tell me why I was brought here. They’re not registering my complaint or filing a zero FIR. If something happens to me, the Congress government must take responsibility,” he alleged.
He further accused Congress leaders and the police of conspiring against him. “By registering a false case, they’re planning to murder me. It’s been three hours since I was brought here, and I haven’t been informed of the reason. If something happens to me, the police, DK Shivakumar, Lakshmi Hebbalkar, and their team will be responsible,” he said.
Allegations of Bias and Emergency-Era Tactics
Ravi criticized his treatment by the police, comparing it to the Emergency period. “They’re treating me like a criminal. I am a people’s representative and a former minister, yet they’re acting as they did during the Emergency,” he added.
Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly, BJP’s R Ashoka, accused the police of torturing Ravi. “The police station has become a Congress office. CT Ravi was bleeding from the head after being taken into custody. The BJP will protest tomorrow. I want to remind the police officers that this is not a permanent government,” Ashoka said.
CT Ravi’s advocate, Chetan, accused the police of high-handedness and bias. “Every accused has the right to meet their counsel during custody, but we were prohibited from entering the police station for over an hour. Ravi wanted to lodge an FIR due to threats to his life, but it hasn’t been registered. This is reminiscent of the Emergency era,” he stated.
Congress Responds with Counter-Allegations
Earlier, Congress leader Lakshmi Hebbalkar accused CT Ravi of using “obscene words” and making derogatory remarks, including allegedly calling Rahul Gandhi a drug addict. Following Hebbalkar’s complaint, Ravi was taken into custody from Suvarna Soudha, and an FIR was filed at Hirebagewadi Police Station in Belagavi.
Ravi dismissed the allegations as baseless. “It is Congress’s habit to make false allegations. They did it against Home Minister Amit Shah, and now they are doing it to me,” he told media.
Police Statement
Belagavi City Police Commissioner Lada Martin stated that due to law and order concerns, they could not disclose CT Ravi’s next location.
BJP’s Next Steps
BJP MLAs and MLCs plan to address the matter in the assembly. Ravi’s advocate announced that complaints will be filed with the National Human Rights Commission and the Karnataka Human Rights Commission regarding the alleged bias and mistreatment.