Cong MLA who assaulted cop yet to be booked

BANGALORE: Despite presence of ‘watertight’ evidence as claimed by the police, Congress MLA Vijayanand Kashappanavar and underworld don Somashekhar Gowda, who assaulted a constable at a city pub late Tuesday evening are yet to be arrested.

The ruling party MLA, who was celebrating his birthday at the Skyee Bar at UB City mall with Gowda, misbehaved with the police when they tried to shut down the party for breach- ing the city’s nightlife deadline.

The MLA allegedly refused to wind up even after 1 am. When the police tried to get him to leave the premises, he started threatening them. He attacked constable Kiran who was recording the episode on camera. Gowda too joined in the shoving and jostling.

According to t he complaint registered by the cops, Kashappanavar along with Gowda and eight other persons chased them to the parking lot.

A senior IPS officer told HT, “The CCTV footage recovered from the pub clearly shows the MLA slapping our constable. Gowda too pushed and abused our men. The evidence is watertight.”

Asked why the accused have not yet been arrested, DCP (Bangalore Central) Ravikante Gowda said, “An FIR has been registered. The case is still being investigated. There is no need for an arrest at this stage.”

Home minister KJ George said, “The home minister cannot respond to each and every small thing. It is a police case and the (due) procedure will follow.” SENA MLA BOOKED An FIR has been registered against Shiv Sena MLA Prakash Bala Sawant for allegedly threatening to “strip and thrash” a woman following an argument with regards to the redevelopment of a housing society in Bandra, police said on Thursday.

He has been booked under various sections of the IPC.

The woman and Sawant, who is the MLA from Bandra (East), have been sparring over the redevelopment of Gandhi Nagar Housing Society they reside in.