Cong nominee threatens election officer, booked

Mangalore Today/DHNS

Bangalore, April 18, 2013: Munirathna Naidu, the Congress candidate from Rajarajeshwari Nagar, was arrested on Thursday and released on bail after a returning officer lodged a police complaint alleging that Naidu threatened and obstructed her from discharging official work.

Naidu, who is also the corporator of the Yeshwanthpur ward, is learnt to have threatened returning officer K Jyothi while filing his nomination papers at the R R Nagar BBMP office. The R R Nagar police filed an FIR and arrested the Congress candidate. Later in the day, he was produced before the third additional chief metropolitan magistrate court which granted him bail.

 

According to the FIR, Naidu threatened the returning officer and others on election duty. He demanded that the officials scrutinise his documents immediately and clarify doubts. “If you ask anything later, then remember the bomb blast in Malleswaram?” he reportedly told the personnel on duty.

Naidu was charged under Sections 323, 506 and 129 of the IPC.  Jyothi said she was clueless why Naidu threatened her. “The incident occurred between 11 am and 12 noon on Wednesday, when he came to file his nomination,” she said.

In a detailed report to BBMP Commissioner Siddaiah, who is functioning as the deputy
election officer, Jyothi stated that Naidu returned later in the evening and prevented her from discharging her duty.

She said Naidu, accompanied by another person, returned between 5 and 5:30 pm and demanded names of the people who had filed their nominations on April 17. He also wanted to know the names of candidates who have submitted B forms.

“Naidu snatched the register and scanned through the names of those who had filed their nominations from Rajarajeshwari Nagar,”Jyothi said.

She added that Naidu also violated the election code of conduct by arriving at the R R Nagar office with a large number of supporters carrying posters and banners. Naidu and his supporters also used loudspeakers without taking permission from either Jyothi or the police. The returning officer has sought additional security for herself and the office.

Siddaiah said he has informed the Chief Electoral Officer and a report will be sent on Friday. Additional security will also be provided as per Jyothi’s request.

The Congress high command is learnt to have asked the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee to send a detailed report on the case.

Naidu’s action did not surprise Ashok Kumar Singh, father of Sanjana Singh, who was buried alive in Sanjay Nagar after a wall allegedly constructed by Naidu collapsed on June 1, 2010. “Politicians use all means to win elections. And if he is rich he can go to any extent. Tragically, Munirathna is rich and never hesitates from using muscle power,” he told Deccan Herald.

For the last three years, Singh has been striving for justice. On March 6 this year, he deposed before the district court hearing the wall collapse case, but none of the accused turned up.

Last week, Naidu had approached the principal city civil and sessions court and obtained an injunction till June 21, 2013, against the print and electronic media to prohibit them from publishing/broadcasting anything about the incident. In his petition, Naidu claimed that his rivals were using the media to defame him.

No reason to disqualify: EC

Chief Electoral Officer Anil Kumar Jha on Thursday said there were no reasons to reject the candidature of Munirathna Naidu, Congress candidate from Rajarajeshwarinagar constituency, who is facing charges of intimidating an official on election duty, reports.