Case against K'taka Cong MLA accused in 'resort brawl', party suspends him

Bengaluru: A case of attempt to murder was registered Monday against Congress MLA J N Ganesh in connection with the alleged brawl with lawmaker colleague Anand Singh at a resort near Bengaluru, police said.

The case was registered based on a complaint by Singh, who has been hospitalised for injury suffered in the brawl late Saturday night.

Singh and Ganesh, both from Ballari district, had a heated argument and came to blows at the resort where the Congress MLAs were herded together amid alleged poaching attempt by the BJP.

Sources at the private hospital where Singh had been admitted had said Sunday he has "a black eye and suffered blunt injuries."

According to the FIR, besides attempt to murder, Ganesh has been charged with causing grievous injuries and giving threats

On the orders of KPCC president Dinesh Gundu Rao, MLA J N Ganesh has been suspended with immediate effect, pending inquiry.

In order to conduct a detailed inquiry about the incident, a special inquiry committee had been constituted under the leadership of Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara.

It also includes Ministers K J George and Krishna Byre Gowda, the Pradesh Congress said in a press release, adding that the committee had been asked to submit the report at the earliest.

The statement said that party leaders have conducted a preliminary inquiry about the 'unpleasant' incident that happened on January 19 and have also collected information from Anand Singh.

Congress leaders had on Sunday given conflicting versions about the brawl.

Senior minister D K Shivakumar had denied Singh had been assaulted and claimed all the Congress MLAs were united, while party spokesperson and former MP Madhu Goud Yakshi said the scuffle was related to some business issue and had nothing to do with politics.

"Someone has misled. There was no fracas. There was no incident of smashing of bottle (on Singh's head). It is all fake news. Everyone is together. The entire Congress is united," Shivakumar had said.

Ganesh is among the disgruntled Congress MLAs who was reportedly in touch with other dissidents in the party and on the BJP's radar in its alleged toppling game.

Singh alleged that on Saturday night when he had dinner and was on the way to his room, Ganesh waylaid him.

According to the FIR, Singh said in his complaint that Ganesh was upset with him for not helping him financially during the assembly elections.

The argument had broken out after Ganesh alleged that Singh’s nephew Sandeep had threatened him to finish him off politically.

Hurling invectives, Ganesh then allegedly assaulted him with a stick and a pot.

Ganesh rammed Singh's head against the wall and as the latter fell on the ground, he started kicking him in the stomach and face. He asked for a pistol to eliminate him, Singh said in his complaint.

Singh further stated in his complaint that his life and that of his family members was in danger and sought police protection and appropriate action against the accused.