Karnataka BJP ticket scandal: Hindutva activist collapses during questioning

Bengaluru: Chaitra Kundapura, the Hindutva activist arrested for cheating a businessman of Rs 5 crore after promising him a BJP ticket to contest the Assembly elections, collapsed during the interrogation on Friday at the City Central Crime Branch (CCB) office.

The accused was immediately shifted to the Victoria Hospital for treatment.

Sources said that Chaitra was brought to the CCB office in the morning from the woman’s rehabilitation centre. The junior officers were questioning her and ACP Reena Suvarna was to question her shortly when the incident happened.

Chaitra also started oozing out froth after the collapse. This was the third day of her interrogation. Family sources have stated that Chaitra suffered from epilepsy. However, sources also stated that Chaitra attempted to commit suicide at the CCB office.

The official statement is yet to be made from the CCB Special Wing. Chaitra is now being treated at the ICU.

Meanwhile, Abhinava Halasri of Hirehadagali Mutt in Hoovinahadagali in Vijayanagar district, another accused in the case, has filed a petition before the court on Thursday. Halasri has been absconding since the arrest of Kundapura and the police have launched a hunt for him.

The petition is filed before the 57 CCH court in Bengaluru and the court will take up the petition on Saturday. Sources said that Halasri had links with many prominent leaders of the BJP and RSS.

The scandal has taken a sensational twist following Chaitra Kundapura’s statement that big personalities are involved in the scandal.

The Karnataka unit of BJP has distanced itself from Chaitra Kundapura. Former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai stated that there is no connection between the BJP and the arrest of Kundapura.

“There is no connection with the Chaitra Kundapura case. There should be a comprehensive investigation into the case. Whoever is involved, let them be punished. Not only the religious seer, whoever is involved, they should be arrested,” Bommai stated.

Despite the stiff opposition from the local party leaders, the BJP had given tickets to 72 new faces in the last Assembly elections in Karnataka. Former CM Jagadish Shettar, former Deputy CM Laxman Savadi and former minister K.S. Eshwarappa were denied tickets. The party suffered a humiliating defeat in the Assembly elections.

(This story is edited by Siasat news desk)