BENGALURU: Former city corporator SH Padmaraj was arrested on Wednesday for allegedly issuing life threat to BJP MLA K Gopalaiah and his family members.
The issue led to a ruckus in the Legislative Assembly. Meanwhile, Padmaraj, who was released on bail, made explosive allegations that he had paid Rs 1 crore to Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly R Ashoka for Bengaluru mayor’s post.
Gopalaiah filed a complaint with Kamakshipalya police alleging that Padmaraj, the ex-corporator of Basaveshwara Nagar ward, called him around 11pm on Tuesday and threatened him with dire consequences and told him to return his money. Following the complaint, the police booked Padmaraj for intentional insult to provoke breach of peace and criminal intimidation and arrested him.
Later, he was produced before a city court, which granted him bail. Padmaraj, who was with BJP and worked closely with Gopalaiah, joined Congress in April 2023.
‘Suresh Kumar also faced similar threat’
Narrating the incident in the Assembly, Gopalaiah said, “Padmaraj telephoned me in an inebriated state around 11pm on Tuesday and demanded money. Soon, I approached the DCP, ACP and the local police inspector. Though police personnel went to his house, he didn’t open the door and managed to escape at 10 am on Wednesday.”
Gopalaiah said former minister S Suresh Kumar also faced a similar threat from the accused. Suresh Kumar said he and Ashoka were Padmaraj’s victims. “One can imagine his arrogance. Holed up in his house, the accused managed to get the backing of certain leaders,” Suresh Kumar said and alleged that the police were inefficient.
Speaker UT Khader, expressing solidarity with Opposition leaders, said if the police failed to arrest Padmaraj by evening, the jurisdictional inspector would be suspended.
As pressure mounted on the government, Home Minister Dr G Parameshwara, who was in the Legislative Council, rushed to the Assembly and said the accused would be arrested soon. Even as he was making his statement, he got information that the accused was arrested, which he announced on the floor of the House.
Meanwhile, coming out of the court premises, Padmaraj said that he did not issue any life threat to Gopalaiah. An argument broke out between him and Gopalaiah over Rs15 lakh, which he had reportedly given for some civil contract work, Padmaraj told reporters.
He alleged that he had given Rs 1 crore to Ashoka in 2010 when he (Padmaraj) was with the BJP. “Ashoka took the money promising that I will be made Bengaluru Mayor. But it didn’t happen. Nagendra, MLA from Mysuru, brokered the deal. You can ask him also,” Padmaraj said.
Even the Upper House witnessed a heated debate between Congress and BJP members over the issue. Opposition MLCs raised the issue and demanded that the home minister make a statement. When RDPR Minister Priyank Kharge said that the home minister had spoken about it in the Lower House, BJP leader K Srinivas Poojary said they were not satisfied with his reply.