BJP leader denies its worker was involved in The Rameshwaram Cafe blast

Congress leader Dinesh Gundu Rao had alleged that the NIA arrested a BJP worker in The Rameshwaram Cafe blast case

Broken windows at The Rameshwaram Cafe after a low-intensity explosion took place in Bengaluru. File | Photo Credit: ANI

Basanagouda Patil Yatnal, MLA and BJP leader, denied allegations that Sai Prasad, a BJP functionary was involved in The Rameshwaram Cafe blast in Bengaluru.

He was responding to a social media post by Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao about the National Investigation Agency taking custody of the BJP leader.

He told reporters that the Minister was making false and baseless allegations against the BJP.

“Mr. Rao is saying that the BJP leader was involved in the blast. That is not true,” Mr. Yatnal said adding that the person in question was a mobile equipment dealer.

The Rameshwaram Cafe blast case

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• The Rameshwaram Cafe blast: Alleged bomber, key conspirator are accused in multiple terror cases, and have been on the run since 2020 

  

• Rameshwaram Cafe blast: NIA conducts simultaneous raids in Shivamogga and Tamil Nadu

  

Since the accused had purchased a SIM card from him, NIA is talking to him. “The Minister is wrong. Giving anti-national statements has become a habit for the Minister. What to do, his household is half Pakistan,’‘ Mr. Yatnal said, referring to the Minister’s wife Tabu Rao.

In his post in Kannada, Mr. Rao had said that BJP had no right to allege that Congress was supporting such anti-national activities, now that its own office bearer was picked up by NIA.

The Minister and Ms. Rao have criticised Mr. Yatnal. Ms. Rao also threatened to file a case against Mr. Yatnal.