The High Court of Karnataka on Monday ordered issue of notices to the State police on a habeas corpus writ petition, which has alleged that Mahesh Iranagouda Kumathalli, Congress MLA for Athani, has been kept under illegal detention by Ramesh Jarkiholi, Congress MLA for Gokak, in Mumbai.
A Division Bench comprising Justice K.N. Phaneendra and Justice K. Natarajan passed the order on the petition filed by Pramod Dayanand Hiremani, an advocate and social activist from Athani.
Seeking a direction to the police to trace and produce the MLA who is “missing” since a month, the petitioner stated that he had given a missing complaint to the Athani police on February 7. The petitioner has claimed that Mr. Jarkiholi was pressurising the Athani MLA to change his party.
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The petitioner has claimed that Mr. Kumathalli was not available either to the voters or the public in the constituency, and had not responded to two notices sent to him by the Con gress to attend meetings. It has been alleged in the petition that the MLA has been kidnapped and kept under illegal detention.
Hearing adjourned
The Bench adjourned further hearing till February 20.
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