BJP lawmaker’s brother arrested in tree-felling case in Karnataka, later granted bail
Vikram Simha was arrested by forest officers in Hassan on Saturday over the illegal felling of trees in the Hassan district was released on Sunday
Vikram Simha, the brother of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Pratap Simha, who was arrested by forest officers in Hassan on Saturday over the illegal felling of trees in the Hassan district was released on Sunday, officials familiar with the matter said.
Simha was produced before the senior civil judge in Belur, where he secured bail, officials said.
According to forest officials, Vikram Simha leased land in survey number 16 of Nandagondanahalli and was involved in the illegal felling of 126 trees. The officials registered a first information report (FIR) on December 16 after Belur tahsildar Mamatha, who visited the spot, alerted them about the tree felling. Officials have filed a case against landowners Jayamma and Rakesh Shetty and are currently investigating.
On December 28, the state government suspended Hassan DCF Mohan Kumar, ACF Prabhu Gowda, RFO Vinay Kumar, DRFO Gururaj, and staff member Raghuraj on charges of failing to detect illegal tree felling.
In response to the arrest, MP Pratap Simha applauded chief minister Siddaramaiah’s political manoeuvres. “I should appreciate CM Siddaramaiah for his dedication to his son’s career. He is willing to trample anyone for his son’s political future and for his son to win the Lok Sabha elections. This should be learned from Siddaramaiah; not everyone gets such a father,” he said.
Referring to the CM as a “wise father” and a “brilliant politician,” he said, “You are a brilliant politician. Not all children get a father like you. Are you ready to end Pratap Simha as an obstacle? One cannot find a father like you in the world.”
“Minister Madhu Bangarappa was sentenced to six-months imprisonment for bouncing a cheque, but officials arrested Vikram Simha to divert people’s attention. Why has the accused in the tree-felling case not been arrested so far? Despite Vikram’s name not being mentioned in the FIR, officials arrested him, clearly showing it is an attempt to frame him in the case,” he alleged.
“Siddaramaiah is trying to trample Pratap Simha for his son’s political future. You dragged my family to the street. You can also arrest my mother and sister,” Simha said. “Two criminal cases have been filed against me. Let your family politics continue. Chamundi, Mother Kaveri will not leave you alone. The people of Mysore - Kodagu will teach you a lesson,” he said.
The remarks came amid CM Siddaramaiah’s efforts to push his son Yathindra as his successor.
In response, state home minister G Parameshwar said, “It is true that MP Pratap Simha brother Vikram Simha has illegally cut down the trees, hence action has been initiated against him as per the law”. He clarified that action was taken because Vikram cut down the tree without permission, and he emphasised that the CM’s name should not be mentioned in this case. He stated that Pratap Simha is unnecessarily giving a political colour to the case.