Rowdy sheet against MLA JN Ganesh likely

Bengaluru: The brawl at a resort with fellow Congress legislator Mr Anand Singh could cost Kampli MLA Mr J N Ganesh dear, with his rowdy sheet which was closed during Assembly elections last year, likely to be reopened soon. 

Confirming the possibility of reopening the rowdy sheet to the media, home minister Mr M B Patil said if the rules demand, the government will not be not averse to reopening the rowdy sheet against him. "No one is above the law, and action has been initiated against Mr Ganesh. A FIR has been registered against him and he has been suspended by our  party leaders. The police are looking for him and he will be arrested soon. Neither the government, nor the police are under any pressure (to delay his arrest)," he added. 

When asked why police offers were idle for over two days before registering the FIR, Mr Patil admitted some delay in the process. He, however, dismissed suggestions that police officers waited till Mr Ganesh left the resort on Monday afternoon before registering the FIR.

Reacting to statements by different Congress leaders, leading to suspicion of a cover up of the case, Mr Patil said lack of information in initial stages triggered such confusion. ''It was only when our general secretary Mr K C Venugopal, myself long with deputy chief minister Dr Parameshwar saw Mr Anand Singh, we realised the gravity of the situation. After discussion with Mr Anand Singh's son, who is also a lawyer, we immediately decided to register the FIR. Like any other offender, even Mr Ganesh is absconding and the police will arrest him,'' he added.

Answering a question on retired IAS officer Mr Vinay Kumar's report on special treatment offered to AIADMK leader Ms Sasikala at Parappana Agrahara prison, Mr Patil said the government would initiate action on basis of the report.

The committee has pointed out that Ms Sasikala was provided with five cells and a private kitchen inside the prison. Though prison officials said that they presumed that the court had classified Ms Sasikala as 

A category prisoner, the real situation had been communicated to officials of the prisons' department.