Daijiworld Media Network - Mysuru (SP)
Mysuru, Jul 5: State chief minister, Siddaramaiah, who is already grappling with the issue of dissent after the reorganization of the ministry, has another problem on hand now. His close associate, and former zilla panchayat president, K Marigowda, who is counted among the few people forming CM's inner circle and close confidante, now faces a case of scolding the deputy commissioner (DC) of the district.
The incident in which Marigowda openly castigated the DC, C Shikha, at the guest house here on the night of Sunday July 3 has gone to the police station now, with the DC filing a case in Nazarbad police station here. It is said that the CM tried his best to thwart this development, but could not. The policemen, who have registered the case, have begun investigation.
C Shikha
It is said that Shikha happens to be one among the officers about whom the CM has high regard.
It is said that repeated efforts were made to persuade the concerned to settle the matter amicably but Shikha remained stoic in her stand of going ahead with registration of the case. On Monday, BJP, other parties, and several organizations have brought pressure on the concerned to arrest Marigowda. BJP general secretary, Shobha Karandlaje, has demanded for immediate arrest of Marigowda.
K Marigowda
Reportedly, the DC has got Marigowda's outbursts recorded and that she will place this record before authorities concerned. As soon as he came to know that a complaint was filed, Marigowda rushed to the residence of Siddaramaiah here, and contacted the CM over phone from there. The CM, on his part, called Shikha over phone and asked her to desist from registering the complaint, assuring to sort out the matter through negotiation. It is said that he also called Shikha's husband, Dr Ajay Nagbhushan, who happens to be the DC of Mandya, to intervene in the matter. Some higher officials also called Nazarbad station inspector, Shekhar, to postpone registration of the complaint. But Shikha stood her ground and ensured that a case was registered against Marigowda.
A week back, the tahsildar here, Naveen Joseph, had been promoted and transferred to Yadgiri. He is yet to be relieved. Marigowda reportedly was not happy with the way Joseph handled a pending dispute over a site bought by him. He brought pressure on Shikha to affect the transfer order immediately. When CM was in the government guest house here, Marigowda came there to raise this issue. Seeing that Shikha was present there, Marigowda flared up and openly scolded and threatened her, and a word used by him pained the DC, reports said. Shikha convinced the CM that Joseph's relief will be delayed because of technical and administratrative reasons.
State women's commission president, Manjula Manasa, said that she contacted Shikha on the subject and offered to register a case with the commission, but the DC said that she herself will handle the issue. Marigowda claimed that a false complaint was hoisted against him by the DC. Deputy commissioner of police, Dr H T Shekhar, said that a case has been registered and investigation has been taken up.