Congress Lawmaker Anand Singh files assault complaint against colleague JN Ganesh

Mangalore Today News Network

Bengaluru, Jan 21, 2019 : A Congress lawmaker in Karnataka has filed a complaint against his colleague for allegedly assaulting him during their stay at a resort on the outskirts of Bengaluru. Anand Singh was allegedly thrashed, punched and threatened by JN Ganesh on Saturday evening after which the former had to be rushed to a hospital, NDTV reported.

 

Anand Singh has filed a First Information Report or FIR today, in which he alleged that Mr Ganesh abused him, beat him with a stick, pushed him to the wall and threatened to kill him. He also claimed that he will finish his career, the FIR alleged.

Mr Ganesh has been suspended till an inquiry by the Congress Committee headed by Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara is completed.

The Congress, which had driven 76 of the party’s 80 legislators in the Karnataka Assembly to the Eagleton resort to thwart what they describe as the BJP’s attempt to poach Congressmen, has since given multiple versions of why Anand Singh had to be rushed to the hospital, including chest pain and a fall.

In his complaint, Anand Singh said that after dinner when he was headed to his my room with Mr Ganesh, he started abusing him and accused him of not helping him financially during elections.

"He threatened to kill my sister, son and other family members. When I objected, he got furious. He pushed me and I fell down. Then he kicked me and punched me in the face that left my eyes and nose swallen. After that I lost consciousness. Tukaram, Raghumurty, Ramappa and Tanveer Sait, all legislators, then rescued me. If not for them, I wouldn’t have been alive today. When I gained conscious I found myself at the Apollo hospital. I demand legal action against JN Ganesh and adequate protection for my family," his complaint added.

The Kampali legislator has admitted there was a fight, but added that it did not quite go the way it is believed so far.

"I, Anand Singh and Bheema Naik had a confrontation. We did not beat each other up. The quarrel snowballed. He (Anand Singh) slipped and suffered a few injuries," Mr Ganesh claimed.

Mr Ganesh has apologised to Anand Singh’s family, but maintained that he never hit Anand Singh.

"I would like to apologise to their family (Anand Singh) if they’re hurt. Whatever the media is reporting is false," Mr Ganesh said in his apology, reported news agency ANI.

Two of Congress’s 80 lawmakers are still "missing" and have been sent notice by the party for skipping a headcount on Friday. Anand Kumar, who had also been off the grid for days, made a comeback to the party fold last week.