Bengaluru: Prakash Raj, actor-turned-politician and activist, was booked on Thursday, March 21, for allegedly violating the Lok Sabha election model code of conduct.
As per reports, he allegedly used a mike to address the gathering at a public event at the Mahatma Gandhi Circle near MG Road on March 12 without permission, after the model code of conduct was affected.
Raj is alleged, by some, to have used the opportunity to campaign and seek votes.
The Cubbon Park police booked the actor and the event organisers Praveen and Abhilash under several sections of the Representation of People’s Act and the Karnataka Police Act. A complaint against the actor was filed by the Flying Squad of the Election Commission after they saw mobile phone videos of Raj’s speech doing the rounds on WhatsApp.
In his defence, however, Raj told police that the event was not of a political nature and that it was organised under the banner ‘Media and Freedom of Expression’.
Raj is set to file his nomination on Friday to contest as an independent candidate from the Bengaluru Central Lok Sabha constituency.
He is well-known actor and has worked in several language film industries. A few years ago, he began to speak out against the Centre and turned politician earlier this year, when he announced that he would be contesting in the Lok Sabha elections as an independent candidate. He has gained the support of the Telangana Rashtra Samithi as well as the Aam Aadmi Party. Raj will be contesting from the Bengaluru Central constituency and be going up against BJP’s PC Mohan.
