Bengaluru: Former BJP MLA assaults wife at Legislators' House near Vidhana Soudha

Bengaluru: High drama prevailed at the Legislators’ House near Vidhana Soudha on Thursday afternoon, when former BJP MLA of Mudigere constituency, M.P. Kumaraswamy, allegedly assaulted his wife, Savita in the presence of policemen.

The drama unfolded when Savita, a Junior Engineer with the Irrigation Department in Mysuru, came in search of her husband, who had not reportedly gone home for the last six months. She along with her mother, Prema Kumari and brother went to the LH around 2 pm and requested her husband to return home. Things took an ugly turn when there was a heated argument between the couple, when Mr Kumaraswamy asked her to leave and not disturb him.

As Mr Kumaraswamy tried to leave in his car, Savita snatched the keys. An irritated Mr Kumaraswamy slapped her. Soon, the police staff deputed at the LH intervened and took the woman to the Vidhana Soudha police station, while Mr Kumaraswamy returned to his room in the LH.

After speaking to the police, Savita came out and told reporters that she would not file any complaint against her husband for assaulting her. Alleging that her husband had not come home for the last six months, Savita said, “On January 1, he had come home but never after that. So, I came to speak to him and take him home. But, he was not willing to speak and tried to go away in his car. I reminded him that we loved each other for four years before the marriage. People can imagine how he would behave at home.”

She also alleged that her husband had an illicit affair with a woman in Hassan. “That's why he is not coming home. I would have divorced him much earlier if I wanted to leave him. My only intention is to live with him, I want my husband back,” she added.

Her mother, Prema Kumari, said that the couple had got married in 2008 but had no children. “My son-in-law was upset about it. After a few years, he started having an affair with another woman in Hassan. Savita, who learnt about this, verified the matter as she got his call records,” she alleged.

From Vidhana Soudha police station, Savita was sent to Mahila Sahayavani (Women Helpline), a counselling centre at the Police Commissioner’s office. There the counsellors spoke to her for about 30 minutes, before taking her to Police Commissioner N. S. Megharikh.  After the meeting with Mr Megharikh, Savita told reporters that she would need some more time to take  a decision. No police case was registered in this regard.

Meanwhile, Mr Kumaraswamy said that there is no truth in his wife’s allegation that he had an illicit affair. “I don’t have an extra-marital relationship. Now she is alleging that I have not gone home for the last six months. But in fact, she has not lived with me for the last eight years. However, this is our personal issue, we will sort it out.”