Hassan BJP MLA booked for whisking away' candidate from police custody

Hassan: Hassan BJP MLA Preetham Gowda, has been booked for obstructing police work by allegedly whisking away a party candidate for the municipal council poll from police custody Wednesday night. The police had taken the BJP candidate, Venugopal into custody for allegedly distributing liquor to voters in the municipal council poll. Mr Venugopal , who also happens to be general secretary of the Hassan city BJP unit, was taken to the Town police station for questioning.

But on hearing about his arrest, Mr Preetham Gowda is alleged to have barged into the police station with his supporters and taken Mr Venugopal away. While it is claimed that the MLA also abused the police while at the police station , a senior police officer said he did not use foul language. When contacted, Mr Gowda claimed Janata Dal Secular (JDS) leaders were behind the filing of the FIR against him as they were afraid of losing the CMC elections to the BJP.

“This is a desperate attempt to stall a BJP win by JD(S) leaders as they are unhappy at losing the Hassan assembly seat,” he charged, adding that the JD(S) would be handed another defeat in the CMC elections and the BJP would come to power in the council. The MLA said the police should look at the CCTV footage at the station to see what transpired. The 37- year- old legislator was elected from Hassan in the recent assembly elections, defeating the Janata Dal (Secular) in its stronghold by a margin of over 13,000 votes.