Bangalore, May 30 (DHNS): Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) P Ravindranath, accused of clicking pictures of a woman at a coffee shop, lodged a complaint against City Police Commissioner Raghavendra Auradkar and two other officers on Thursday.
He also sought action against them under the SC/ST Atrocities (Prevention) Act 1989.
In his complaint to the Cubbon Park police, Ravindranath, who belongs to the Scheduled Caste, said the three officers had committed an offence under the said Act by implicating him in a false case. The two others named in the complaint are DCP (Central) B R Ravikanthe Gowda and Sub-Inspector M S Ravi of the High Grounds police station.
Ravindranath has, in the complaint, referred to how he was “ill-treated” at the High Grounds police station soon after the alleged incident on Monday.
The complaint read, “Auradkar had practised untouchability when I asked him to allow me to sit in his car on Tuesday, when I had been to his office. He asked me not to touch him.”
DG and IGP L R Pachau refused to comment on the ADGP’s complaint.
Meanwhile, Home Minister K J George said the State government has already ordered a CID inquiry into the coffee shop incident.
Protesting KSRP personnel given duties, kept busy
After a day of intense protest by the Karnataka State Reserve Police (KSRP) personnel near Koramangala parade ground on Wednesday night, around 1,200 police personnel of KSRP were deployed for various duties on Thursday to prevent them from protesting again.
A senior police official said the decision was taken to prevent any kind of untoward incident and to keep the KSRP personnel busy.
On Wednesday night, they took to streets and blocked traffic for more than eight hours to express their support to ADGP Ravindranath, who has been accused of taking pictures of a woman on his cellphone at a coffee shop on Monday. The protest had caused inconvenience to the public.
The official said the KSRP men were ordered to don uniform and attend duty without fail. Anyone failing to obey the orders will be dealt with strictly, they were told. Around 300 police personnel were deployed at the KSRP parade ground to monitor the law and order situation. Also three DCPs were posted at the spot to supervise the situation.
Meanwhile, several Dalit organisations protested at Town Hall and Mysore Bank Circle, demanding justice for Ravindranath. The protestors led by former legislator D S Veeraiah shouted slogans against the government alleging conspiracy and demanded that the whole incident should be handed over to Central Bureau of Investigation for a detailed probe.
Terming this incident unfortunate, Home Minister K J George warned strict action against the police personnel indulging in protest.
The police, who are supposed to maintain law and order, indulged in violence and caused inconvenience to the public. Such incidents would be dealt with seriously,” the minister said.
Meanwhile, Ravindranath’s daughter Kushala said: “My father does not enter even my room without my permission. A person like him cannot click such photos. He is a strict disciplinarian. The investigation will reveal the is,” she said.
“If Ravindranath has any grievances, he can file a complaint with the CID.”
While there were reports that in the wake of the controversy, the government was planning to transfer Auradkar, George said there was no such idea. However, sources said Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will hold a high-level meeting on Friday on replacing Auradkar. ADGP (Law and Order) M N Reddi’s name is making the rounds for the top post.
At a meeting chaired by Siddaramaiah at his home office on Thursday evening, the entire issue was reportedly discussed at length.
The protest by KSRP personnel in support of Ravindranath was also discussed. Responding to the protest, George said police should be disciplined and the protest was uncalled for.
When his comment was sought on two top IPS officers fighting in public and thus embarrassing the government, George evaded the query by saying that the government was not involved.