It didn't happen, cops say

Updated on: 08 July,2009 09:29 AM IST |
Imran Gowhar |

Refuse to take up case against minister Somanna even though victim's wife has filed complaint

Refuse to take up case against minister Somanna even though victim's wife has filed complaint

The city police is yet to take up the case against housing and muzrai minister V Somanna, who allegedly slapped a BBMP assistant engineer in public. This, despite a complaint filed by Triveni, the wife of A N Somaraju, the victim.

City police commissioner SM Bidari justified the inaction saying that the preliminary investigations showed that no such incident occurred. "Though Somanna pulled up the engineer Somaraju, he did not slap him as alleged. Moreover, since the incident reportedly occurred on Saturday, why did the family member take three days to file the complaint?" asked Bidari, hinting that the case was the handiwork of vested interests.

Though the ball is now in their court, Kalasipalya police too has refused to make a move, claiming that there is no evidence that Somanna has slapped Somaraju. "We have cross-checked with the witnesses and the officials present at the programme and decided to close the case, since it does not have the validity to be pursued further", a police official said.

According to Triveni, Somanna had a dispute with Somaraju over the work on a culvert in Dasarahalli. During the argument, an enraged Somanna hurled invectives at the engineer in the presence of others and then slapped him, causing him to fall unconscious, Triveni alleges. Somaraju was later admitted to Manipal Hospital, she said.

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