Congress leader, who had threatened to set the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike ward office in Horamavu on fire, surrendered to the police on Friday morning.
According to Ramamurthy Nagar Police Inspector Chandradhar, former KR Puram block Congress President, Narayanaswamy, surrendered at 7.45 am on Friday, days after a video of him splashing petrol on the office went viral.
Narayanaswamy has been booked under sections 353 (public servant assaulting a person), 341 (wrongful restraint), 504 (provocation with intent to breaching peace), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 427 (damage to property).
“Earlier, when the incident occurred on February 16, no one had come forward to register a complaint. We were going to file a suo motu complaint when the video went viral. BBMP officials filed a complaint against Narayanaswamy on February 20. He surrendered this (Friday) morning,” Inspector Chandrashekhar added.
Narayanaswamy is seen splashing petrol inside the office premises and on Assistant Revenue Officer Chengal Rayappa, and demanding that one of his associates bring him the papers which needed to be signed.
Narayanaswamy allegedly wanted the Assistant Revenue Officer, Chengal Rayappa’s signature on a katha document, which would attest to him being the property owner.
Chengal Rayappa was transferred the very next day and was allegedly threatened not to register a complaint with the police.
Narayanaswamy adamantly refused to acknowledge that he had tried to intimidate the BBMP officials.
“Why is everyone bent on making me look bad? I have been running from pillar to post to get one document signed and the BBMP officials have been dodging me. I was really angry and, in a fit of rage, I may have done what I did. But I did not actually want set fire to the office. If I had known that this was how the BBMP officers worked, then I would have taken up the matter with their higher-ups sooner. I always follow the right path and I am not the one to be blamed here. I don’t think I did anything wrong,” Narayanaswamy said.
However, the Congress party immediately suspended Narayanaswamy.