Days after allegedly assaulting fellow party MLA Anand Singh, Karnataka Congress legislator JN Ganesh continued to remain at large on Thursday. This despite the state government claiming that the police have been given a free hand to nab the absconding MLA. Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara on Thursday once again told the media that Ganesh will be arrested soon.
In an embarrassment for the Congress and the ruling coalition, the Kampli MLA was booked for attempt to murder for assaulting Anand Singh in a drunken brawl at the posh Eagleton resort on the outskirts of Bengaluru. The Congress leadership had been taken its MLAS to the resort since the evening of January 18 in an attempt to keep its flock together in the face of alleged threats of poaching by the BJP.
The incident took place on January 19. According to Anand Singh’s statement to the police, if Ganesh had his own way, he would have shot Anand Singh dead with his gunman’s weapon.
Ganesh has been booked under sections 323 (Voluntarily causing hurt), 324 (Voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons), 307 (Attempt to murder), 504 (intentional insult to breach peace) and 506 (Criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
He was immediately suspended by KPCC president Dinesh Gundu Rao and a committee headed by Parameshwara will submit a report to the High Command which will decide his future.
Meanwhile, Anand Singh who was recuperating at Apollo Hospitals Seshadripuram has been shifted to Narayana Nethralaya in Bengaluru where he will undergo an eye surgery necessitated due to the attack. But his condition is reported to be stable.
Speaking to TNM, a source close to the MLA’s family, said Anand Singh has an 8 mm fracture below his right eye.
“He has a lot of pain in his chest. The neurologist and ophthalmologist have been conducting some tests and we took him for a few scans today. We are waiting for the results. There was an eye checkup and the doctors say that there is no problem with his eyesight. But they also want to do some tests once the swelling comes down. He has trouble getting up as the X Rays show that he has hurt two ribs. He is just sleeping and we are feeding him soft foods. When he swallows food, he says it hurts. He is unable to speak too because of this,” the source said.