Belagavi police are set to produce BJP MLC C.T. Ravi before the local court in Belagavi on December 20, 2024, following his arrest on Thursday. Ravi was taken into custody for allegedly making derogatory remarks about Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar during an Assembly session, which the police claim amounted to outraging the modesty of a woman and sexual assault.
The arrest, led by Assistant Commissioner of Police S.M. Satyanayak, occurred near the Suvarna Soudha in Belagavi. Ravi was initially held at the Hirebagewadi police station, where cases were filed under Sections 75 and 79 of the BNS Act. While Section 79 allows for station bail, Section 75 is non-bailable, making it likely he will be presented before a magistrate before being transferred to Bengaluru.
Ravi, however, protested his treatment by the police, accusing them of conspiring to harm him. At one point, he sat on the road, shouting slogans against the authorities, and later alleged that he had been injured during a police altercation.
“The police are conspiring to murder me,” Ravi claimed, adding that he had been needlessly driven around without being informed of the situation. He further posted on social media platform X, accusing the police and the Congress government of orchestrating a plot against him, stating, “For hours, I have been roaming in a police vehicle, parked in deserted areas while they plot something.”
The police denied Ravi’s allegations, stating that his injury was self-inflicted. “While en route to Ramdurg, Ravi attempted to exit the vehicle. Constables tried to stop him, but he hit his forehead on the handlebar above the door,” an officer explained, adding that first aid was administered promptly at a government hospital.
Ravi’s arrest has added fuel to the ongoing political feud in Karnataka. In his post, he accused the Congress-led government of shielding its own ministers from scrutiny and demanded action against Congress ministers, alleging that video evidence exists of their misconduct during the Legislative Council session.
Meanwhile, Congress workers attempted to barge into CT Ravi’s residence in his hometown of Chikkamagaluru. The police erected barricades and blocked the way of the protesters.
Protests were also staged in Bengaluru, Belagavi, and other locations.
via X https://x.com/ANI/status/1869842815632716148
Belagavi, Karnataka: BJP leader CT Ravi’s lawyer, Advocate Chetan says, “… As soon as we received information, we immediately rushed to Khanapur Police Station. We were prohibited from entering the Police Station at the gate itself for about an hour… Every accused has the right to meet his counsel during his police custody or whenever he is interrogated. Despite that, we were not allowed to go in for 1.5 hrs… When we met CT Ravi, he said he wanted to lodge an FIR since there were threats to his life. One complaint was drafted but the FIR was still not registered by the police… This is nothing but high-handedness… BJP MLAs and MLCs will take up the matter in the assembly tomorrow…”