Karnataka BJP MLA BP Harish faces arrest in atrocity case after court warrant
Bengaluru: Senior BJP MLA B.P. Harish is facing the threat of arrest in connection with an atrocity case after the Special Court for MLAs/MPs issued an arrest warrant against him. The police were preparing for the legal action as the court had also directed the prosecution to produce him before it on May 7.
A case had been registered at the Harihar Town Police Station against Harihar BJP MLA B.P. Harish on charges of making casteist remarks. In connection with this case, the court issued an arrest warrant against him on Tuesday.
It is alleged that a day after the 2023 Assembly election results, B.P. Harish made derogatory remarks against the Dalit community. Following this, BSP leader Hanumanthappa from Harihar filed a complaint at the Harihar Town Police Station, leading to the registration of a case under caste abuse charges.
As Harish failed to appear for the investigation, Bengaluru’s Special Court for People’s Representatives Judge Santosh Gajanan Bhat issued an arrest warrant against him.
It may be recalled that after winning the 2023 Assembly elections, some leaders from the Dalit community visited Harish to congratulate him. During the interaction, he allegedly stated that despite the BJP government increasing reservations, Dalits did not vote for the party and also allegedly made some other remarks.
A video of this statement had gone viral then. In this connection, B. Hanumanthappa and others had filed a complaint at the Harihar Town Police Station. The court has now directed the Harihar police to arrest Harish and produce him before it on May 7.
MLA B.P. Harish represents the Harihar Assembly constituency in Davanagere district. He is the only BJP MLA from the district. Harish has contested elections seven times and has won twice. He is seen as challenging the influence of the powerful Shamanur family in the region, which is associated with the Congress party and is often said to wield significant political control.
Following the court order, the Harihar police have also become active, and the threat of arrest has begun to loom over MLA B.P. Harish.