BENGALURU: Former BJP media coordinator, SS Vinay, who had managed to escape a kidnap bid allegedly orchestrated by BJP state president BS Yeddyurappa’s personal assistant, approached police seeking protection on Friday.
Vinay, accompanied by his advocate, went to Amruthahalli police station and submitted a petition. He alleged that some suspicious persons were lurking around his house, and that his family’s life is under threat. “Unknown persons follow me whenever I am outside alone. There has already been an attempt to kidnap me — I feel there is a serious threat to my life,” he said.
Police received his petition and took up a non-cognisable case. Also, Vinay said that he had a pen drive, CD and a diary that contained information that could tarnish the image of former chief minister Yeddyurappa. “The police investigating my kidnap case have asked me to submit the pen drive and other documents to the court. I will be doing this shortly,” he added.
In May 2017, unidentified miscreants tried to kidnap Vinay, who was BJP leader KS Eshwarappa’s PA then, from Mahalakshmi Layout police station limits. However, Vinay managed to escape and a filed a complaint. The police, who investigated the case, found that Yeddyurappa’s PA and relative N R Santosh had allegedly hired goons to kidnap Vinay.
Vinay and Santosh were friends before, but once the latter found out that Vinay was in possession of material that could ruin Yeddyurappa’s image, Santosh allegedly decided to kidnap Vinay.
The other accused arrested in the case had also admitted in their voluntary statement that they were asked to kidnap Vinay. The police also searched Yeddyurappa’s house.
Looking back
On May 11, 2017, a gang had attempted to kidnap Vinay near ISKCON temple here. When Vinay protested and screamed for help, the accused fled from the spot. Back then, police had arrested nine people, including BJP Yuva Morcha leader Rajendra Urs, in connection with the case. However, after evading arrest, Santosh managed to get anticipatory bail and refused to cooperate with the investigations. Santosh and the others were booked under various Sections of the IPC, including section 143 (unlawful assembly), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 325 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt), 363 (kidnapping), and more.