The Karnataka High Court has granted interim bail to BJP MLC CT Ravi, who was arrested following allegations of abusing Karnataka minister Laxmi Hebbalkar. The court, while addressing Ravi's petition, observed procedural lapses by the police in handling the case.
In its ruling, the High Court noted that a doctor in Belgaum had recommended a CT scan for Ravi to rule out complications from a head injury he reportedly sustained. It also cited the Speaker of the Council’s statement denying that Ravi used abusive language, emphasizing that even if such an incident occurred, the police should not have resorted to manhandling Ravi.
The court stated that as a sitting MLC and a public representative, Ravi posed no risk of absconding, reinforcing its decision to grant bail. The order was set to be hand-delivered to the investigating officer for immediate implementation, bypassing the usual process of uploading the order online.
Separately, the Special Court for People’s Representatives has reserved its decision on Ravi’s interim bail petition for the following day. However, the High Court’s directive will take precedence regardless of the Special Court's ruling.
Ravi has alleged mistreatment by the Karnataka government, claiming he was subjected to unnecessary movement across districts after his arrest from the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha in Belagavi. According to Ravi and the Karnataka BJP, he was initially taken to the Khanapur police station before being moved to Ram Durga police station. He described being transported through the state throughout the night, with stops at a resort for freshening up and later a hospital for a mandatory check-up.
Ravi was eventually presented before the Judicial Magistrate of First Class in Belagavi and subsequently taken to Bengaluru. The incident has sparked political tension between the BJP and the ruling government, with Ravi asserting that the government’s actions were a deliberate attempt to harm him.
