Bengaluru: Prominent state politicians such as D K Shivakumar, G Parameshwara, Siddaramaiah, and H D Kumaraswamy had cases filed against them for allegedly attempting to obstruct IT officials from carrying out their duties. Officials at the Commercial Street Police Station registered the FIRs after a local court in Bengaluru directed them to do so, based on a private complaint.
The party leaders have also been charged with sedition among other sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) including IPC 217, 176, 121, 177, 506, 153A, 503, 414, 149, 505(2), 124A, 353, 409, 350, 405, 417, 120(A), 416, 171C, 119, 141, 142, and 499.
The complaint was filed by Mallikarjuna A, who is a social activist from Gubbi in Tumakuru, in a city civil court, which admitted his petition and directed the police to file FIRs against the accused. The model code of conduct was in force when Kumaraswamy and Siddaramiah led the protests outside the Income Tax office in the city.
He also included G. Parameshwara, Dinesh Gundu Rao, and D.K. Shivakumar in his complaint. Former Bengaluru Police Commissioner T. Suneel Kumar and other senior police officials are also in the group of 17 people booked by the police.
In his complaint, Mallikarjuna alleged that on March 27, the then Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy had informed the media about the IT raids that were going to take place on houses owned by a few JD(S) leaders.
The complaint further states that, by staging a protest the next day, the JD(S) and Congress leaders had attempted to stop the work of the IT officials. Speaking to ANI, the activist said, “The protest also led to major traffic snarls in the area. The police, who were present at the spot, did not do anything to stop the protest.”
(with inputs from ANI and IANS)
