The truck, which hit the police escort of Union Minister Anantkumar Hegde in Haveri district on Tuesday night is registered in the name of B.G. Nagesh, brother of a BJP worker in Koppa taluk. However, Mr. Nagesh has said he sold the truck to Nasir Ahmed of Betagere in N.R. Pura taluk two months go, but the ownership documents are yet to be transferred.
The truck hit the escort vehicle at Halageri Cross near Ranebennur. Following the incident, Mr. Hegde alleged that it was an attempt to murder him. The police took Nassir, the driver of the truck, into custody for further investigation. The vehicle, as per the records, is owned by B.G.Nagesh of Koppa. His brother Ramesh Belgola is a BJP leader, a close confidante of former minister D.N.Jeevaraj and former member of Koppa Taluk Panchayat. “Yes, my brother is in politics. I am an agriculturist and also involved in transport business”, Mr. Nagesh told The Hindu . He said he sold the truck to Nasir Ahmed on February 16 and he had issued the delivery note on the same day. However, the transfer of ownership was pending as the sanction of loan to the new owner from a private finance agency was delayed.
The new owner Mr. Nasir Ahmed told The Hindu that he and his brother, Rasheed, run a business of supplying rubber wood to different places. The truck left N.R. Pura on April 15 and reached Hubballi the next day. It was in Hubballi for a day as there was no load to ferry. On April 17, the driver loaded grocery items and left for Shivamogga. “What happened in Haveri is just an accident,” he said, adding that he has known driver Nassir for several years. “In fact, he is my close friend. He missed the road at Halageri Cross as he was talking on the phone. While taking a U-turn he hit the police escort.,” he said. “We have all documents of the truck. Let there be an inquiry. I am confident we will come out of this.”
