At around midnight on Saturday, a team of Bengaluru police officers visited BJP state President BS Yeddyurappa’s house, in connection with an abduction case.
This has threatened a major confrontation between the BJP and the ruling Congress, a report by the Times of India states.
According to Bengaluru Police Commissioner, Praveen Sood, the police were looking for Yeddyurappa’s close aide, NR Santosh for the alleged abduction of KS Eshwarappa’s aide.
“BS Yeddyurappa’s letter states that evidence in the case was being cooked up with wrong intentions. He has also vouched for Santosh’s innocence,” Praveen Sood added.
What is the abduction case about?
On May 11, a five-member gang had allegedly attempted to abduct NS Vinay Kumar, Leader of Opposition in Vidhana Parishad, KS Eshwarappa’s media advisor, in Bengaluru’s Mahalakshmi Layout.
Police had arrested four of the five accused. However, the fifth and also the prime accused in the case, Prashath Kumar alias Raja, was arrested on July 7.
“The investigating team had rigorously questioned the suspects and almost two months after the initial arrest was the team able to get a lead. The suspects who were questioned directed the team to Yeddyurappa’s aide Santosh. On Saturday night, the team had asked Yeddyurappa if he knew where Santosh was but he refused to divulge any details,” a source with knowledge of the proceedings said.
Yeddyurappa asked the police to show him the warrant for Santosh’s arrest but the police replied that they only wanted to question him, as he was named in an interrogation.
“We returned without Santosh but Yeddyurappa’s residence was watched by police in civillian clothes,” the source added.
According to the TOI report, a retired IPS officer was seen entering Yeddyurappa’s house and Santosh was still believed to be inside Yeddyurappa’s residence.
The FIR that was filed when the abduction attempt occurred, however, does not mention any motive.
What is in Yeddyurappa’s letter to the top cop?
In his letter, Yeddyurappa states that he does not want to intervene in the investigation, however, the BJP leader also vouched for Santosh’s innocence, Commissioner Praveed Sood said.
“His letter states that police officers want to frame Santosh in a case, which Yeddyurappa says he has nothing to do with. He says that there was no need for the police to show up at night and that they could have arrived in the morning. He has said that the move was made with wrong intentions of hurting the reputation of political rivals,” Sood added.