Court orders probe against Eshwarappa over ‘provocative comments’

The court has asked police personnel of Doddapete station in Shivamogga district to hold the probe and file a report to it.

A special court for people’s representatives has passed an order to hold a probe against rural development and panchayati raj minister KS Eshwarappa over alleged provocative statements made by him following murder of Bajrang Dal worker Harsha Jingade.

Karnataka RDPR Minister KS Eshwarappa (left) is already facing heat after a contractor from Karnataka wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi claiming Eshwarappa demanded bribe. (PTI File)

The court has asked police personnel of Doddapete station in Shivamogga district to hold the probe and file a report to it.

Eshwarappa is yet to respond to HT’s calls and messages for a response on the police investigation.

HT had earlier reported that Eshwarappa and other BJP leaders disregarded repeated warnings by the Shivamogga district administration against carrying out a funeral procession for Harsha on February 21. Anticipating communal unrest after Bajrang Dal activist Harsha’s murder on February 20, the district administration imposed prohibitory orders, which were disregarded by the minister and other BJP leaders.

With little support, the district administration turned mute spectators to the violence that followed the funeral procession. The Rapid Action Force (RAF) — which is normally stationed in nearby Bhadravathi — was deployed for the Uttar Pradesh election, forcing a delay with a stand-in team being brought in from Chennai.

The complaint against Eashwarappa stated that the minister and the second accused — Shivamogga corporator Channabasappa — “propagated publicly that the murder of Harsha took place due to political and religious causes”.

In a press conference at the time, Eshwarappa had suggested that Harsha’s killers were Muslims, and had said that such “goondaism” would not be allowed in Shivamogga.

The complaint also stated that such statements were made by Eshwarappa with the intention of creating enmity between Hindus and Muslims, and demanded that the minister be booked under Sections 124(a) [bringing or attempting to bring hatred by words], 153(a) [promoting enmity between groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth etc], 153(b), 295(a) [deliberate acts intended to outrage religious feelings] and 504 [intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace] of the Indian Penal Code.

The complainant, Riyaz Ahamed of the Shivamogga Peace Organization, said he had approached police and senior police officer to lodge the complaint, however, no action was taken. This forced him to file a private complaint in the court.

Acknowledging the complainant’s plea, the court said: “The complainant has lodged a complaint before the Jurisdictional Police Station, but no action was taken. The complainant has also lodged a complaint in this regard to the higher authorities also, but no action was taken.

The complainant has also filed his affidavit stating that he has lodged the complaint and no action is taken by police. As such, the complainant has filed this private complaint with the prayer of referring the complaint under 156(3) of CrPC for investigation.”

Pronouncing the judgment, the court said: “This complaint is referred to SHO of Doddapete Police Station, Shivamogga under section 156(3) of CrPC for investigation.”

Eshwarappa is already facing heat after a contractor from Karnataka wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi claiming Eshwarappa demanded bribe. Santosh K Patil, a Belagavi-based contractor, in a letter to Modi and union rural development and panchayati raj minister Giriraj Singh, has alleged that Eshwarappa and his associates are harassing him for “commission” to clear bills that are pending for almost a year.