The State government on Monday told the High Court of Karnataka that efforts are on to trace K. Mari Gowda, former president of Mysuru Zilla Panchayat and a close associate of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, in connection with the case of alleged criminal intimidation of Deputy Commissioner C. Shikha.
Mr. Mari Gowda’s whereabouts were not known after the case was registered against him by the Mysuru police based on Ms. Shikha’s complaint on July 3.
Meanwhile, counsel for Mr. Mari Gowda claimed that the criminal cases booked against him during the 2007 byelection were withdrawn by the then government in 2008-09, while seeking to produce certified copies of the order passed. The Mysuru sessions court, while rejecting the anticipatory bail plea of Mr. Mari Gowda, had made references to the criminal cases registered against him in 2007.
Justice H.G. Ramesh adjourned further hearing till July 28.
