Video clip of Rajeev's statement goes public
Belagavi, Jan 13 (DHNS): A video clip has surfaced in which the Kudachi BSRC MLA P Rajeev of BSR Congress is seen warning the police personnel that the police station would be set on fire if they harass innocent people, demand money from them or attempt to fix them in false cases.
Incidentally, Rajeev is a former police officer who had quit the service to join politics.
In the 1.18-minute video clip, Rajeev is found warning the personnel from Raibag Circle Inspector of Police office who had reportedly threatened Basappa Bhajantri of Nidagundi village in Raibag taluk that he would be fixed in a case of suicide of a woman.
The warning was issued probably on Tuesday when the MLA was campaigning for the elections to the Agriculture Produce Marketing Committees.
In the video, Rajeev tells the police personnel that on the day the woman committed suicide, Bhajantri had accompanied him for the poll campaigning.
Fled fearing false case
Police personnel had reportedly demanded Rs 1 lakh from Bhajantri and later settled for Rs 45,000 to not fix him in the case.
Fearing that the police will file a false case against him, Bhajantri had fled the village for a few days.
When contacted, Rajeev told DH on Thursday that he had made the statement in a of fit rage as he was angered by the acts of the policemen. Police stations should protect innocent people and not become centres of political activities and deals, he added.
Earlier this week, a video of Rajeev abusing a surveyor in filthy language had gone viral on social media.
In the video, the MLA was found taking Siddappa Sane to task over the delay in completing the survey of government lands during a visit to the office of the Raibag tahsildar. Government lands are said to have been encroached upon in the Kudachi Assembly constituency.
Rajeev had asked officials to survey the lands and demarcate their boundaries to reclaim the lands.
“You are being paid salaries to protect government lands. If you cannot discharge your responsibilities, seek transfers,” Rajeev is heard telling the surveyor in the video.