MYSURU: An FIR has been registered against MLC H Vishwanath at the Devaraja Police Station in Mysuru following allegations of assault and non-payment of Rs 55 lakh loan. The case was registered on the directives of a court after Congress leader Kotehundi Mahadevu filed a complaint against Vishwanath.
According to the complaint, the alleged incident took place at the Jaladarshini Guest House in Mysuru, where Mahadevu had gone to demand repayment of the loan. He accused Vishwanath of verbally abusing him in obscene language and physically assaulting him by hitting him on the head.
Mahadevu alleged that in 2013, when Vishwanath was serving as an MP, he had borrowed Rs 55 lakh through former minister MTB Nagaraj. The amount was reportedly given to Vishwanath and his son Amit Devarahatti as a loan with an assurance that it would be repaid.
Mahadevu, however, claimed that despite repeated requests, the money was never returned and that he had been harassed over the issue. He further stated that due to the financial burden, he had mortgaged his property and was now facing family disputes and legal issues related to the debt.
Initially, Mahadevu had filed an NCR (non-cognizable report) at the Devaraja police station. Later, he approached the court seeking legal intervention. Based on the court’s order, the police have now registered an FIR against Vishwanath.
Mahadevu said Vishwanath had meted out injustice to him and challenged the MLC to swear before Goddess Chamundeshwari if the allegations were false. He told reporters in Mysuru that he had arranged Rs 35 lakh through Nagaraj and personally contributed Rs 12 lakh during the transaction, claiming Vishwanath’s son was also present at the time.
Meanwhile, Vishwanath said the case against him is politically motivated and claimed that Yathindra Siddaramaiah, son of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, is behind the complaint and subsequent FIR.
Vishwanath told reporters that though the police issued him a notice regarding the complaint and he had already submitted a reply, an FIR was still registered with the intention of tarnishing his image.
Vishwanath said he will challenge the FIR in the Karnataka High Court and maintained that he had never borrowed money during his five decades of politics.