Assault case filed against Karnataka Congress MLA

A case of assault has been registered against Karnataka Congress legislator J.N. Ganesh for his alleged attack on party MLA Anand Singh on Sunday, police said on Wednesday.

"An FIR under sections 323 (causing hurt) and 307 (attempt to murder) of the IPC was filed against Ganesh based on the statements given by Anand Singh in the hospital," a police official from Ramanagar Police Station in Ramanagara district told IANS over phone.

Singh was hospitalised on Sunday after an alleged attack by Ganesh when he was at a resort on the city's outskirts along with other party MLAs last week.

The police have formed teams to nab Ganesh, who is allegedly absconding, the official said.

While Ganesh is an MLA from Kampli in Ballari district, Singh is a legislator from Vijayanagara Assembly segment in the same district.

"Ganesh will be arrested soon as the state police is searching for him. Nobody is above law and the Congress MLA is no exception," state Home Minister M.B. Patil told reporters here on Wednesday.

The incident has "ruined" the image of legislators in the southern state, remarked Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and former Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar.

"The Congress has been trying to cover up the issue, which has ruined the image of all legislators in the state," Shettar told the media.

The Karnataka Congress had earlier said it has suspended Ganesh from the party.

"We at Congress show zero tolerance towards violence by any of our representatives. Based on preliminary information gathered about the brawl between the MLAs, KPCC President Dinesh Gundu Rao has ordered the suspension of Ganesh," the party tweeted.

An inquiry committee under the leadership of Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara and Congress leaders K.J. George and Krishna Byre Gowda was formed to look into the incident, the party added.

The party's legislators were lodged at the resort from January 18 to 21 to keep them at one place amid reported of poaching by the BJP.

--IANS

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