Kannada actor Duniya Vijay was arrested by Bengaluru police early on Sunday morning for allegedly assaulting and kidnapping a gym trainer. The actor allegedly assaulted Maruthi Gowda, a gym trainer, who is the nephew of the actor’s former trainer Pani Puri Kitty, aka Krishna Murthy.
The High Grounds Police booked the actor under IPC sections 365 (kidnapping), 342 (punishment for wrongful confinement), 325 (punishment for causing grievous hurt) and 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation).
Speaking to Bangalore Mirror, the victim said that he was assaulted by the actor and 10 others when he went out to see a bodybuilding competition at Ambedkar Bhavan. According to Mirror, Duniya Vijay and Maruthi Gowda had a heated argument at the venue.
“He said something about my uncle, and I asked why do you want that? Immediately, he came back with around ten people and beat me and took me away,” Maruthi told Mirror.
“They took me in a car, and an hour later or so, I was in Rajarajeshwari Nagar and they stopped the car. They tried to get me to appear in a video and told me to say that fans assaulted me. There was Mani, Prasad, Duniya Vijay, and they were abusing. It was Duniya Vijay who made me appear in the video. He said that he will ruin my life.”
Maruti Gowda in hospital who was allegedly assaulted by Duniya Vijay. pic.twitter.com/s0jTyQmYmx
— Bangalore Mirror (@BangaloreMirror) September 23, 2018
“He has been arrested after a complaint was made against him for assaulting a gym trainer at Ambedkar Bhavan last night. We arrested him this morning and he will be produced in court,” a policeman with the High Grounds Police Station told TNM.
“He (the victim) is hurt and receiving treatment at Vikram Hospital,” he added. The motive for the assault is still unclear.
Duniya Vijay is currently out on bail in connection with the Maasti Gudi case, after being on the run for over a year in connection with the Maasti Gudi case. An FIR was filed against the actor under IPC sections 353 (assault or criminal force to deter a public servant from discharging duty) and 225 (resistance or obstruction of lawful apprehension of a person) for helping accused producer P Sundar Gowda avoid arrest.
Soon after the Masti Gudi tragedy, the actor was detained by the police in connection with another assault case, where he allegedly beat up one of Sundar Gowda’s relatives.
In 2013, the actor’s then-wife Nagarathna had alleged that she received death threats from the actor’s brother Nagaraj when the actor had filed for divorce.