CM Siddu's close aide booked for 'threatening' Mysuru DC Shikha

Mysuru/Bengalurul, Jul 5: The city police have registered a criminal case against K Marigowda, a former zilla panchayat president and a close confidante of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, and his aides for raising slogans against Deputy Commissioner C Shikha and addressing her in the singular at the government guest house here on Sunday.

Deputy Commissioner of Police H?T?Shekar told Deccan Herald?that the Nazarbad Police have booked Marigowda and two others under the IPC sections 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his/her duty); 503 (criminal intimidation), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace); 143 (unlawful assembly) and 147 (rioting). Shekar said that investigation was on and no one has been arrested so far.

Shikha has also lodged a complaint against Marigowda and his supporters after they prevented her from?entering the guest house when she went there to meet Siddaramaiah, who was to host an Iftar party.

According to sources, Marigowda and two others stopped Shikha's official vehicle on the guest house premises and questioned her about certain administrative matters. However, she refused to answer them.

Marigowda had alleged that the deputy commissioner had not relieved Mysuru tahsildar Naveen Joseph from his duty even after his transfer. He had also brought this to Siddaramaiah's notice. On deputy commissioner's directions, Joseph had cleared lands encroached upon by Marigowda in Hebbal gram panchayat limits.

Marigowda is said to have created a scene on Monday in an effort to take revenge against Shikha who had ordered clearance of encroachments on survey number 80.

The government had declared 5.9 acres on the said survey number as B?kharab' (government land). But, the Mysuru Taluk Cooperative Society had distributed the land among Marigowda and others after developing it illegally. Marigowda was alloted a site measuring 60X80.

Following a complaint by an RTI activist in 2015 and subsequent directions by her higher ups, Shikha had directed Joseph to clear the encroachment on December 28, 2015. This had irked Marigowda. According to the sources, the case is pending before the tahsildar's court and Marigowda was summoned to be present on Monday.

BJP? leader and MP?Shobha Karandlaje said Shikha was abused by Marigowda as the district administration had taken possession of the illegal layout and sites formed by him.

Karandlaje told reporters in Bengaluru that Shikha was under pressure to withdraw her action. She said the Nazarbad police took not less than two hours to receive a complaint by Shikha against Marigowda as he is a close associate of Siddaramaiah. If this is the plight of an IAS officer, there is no guarantee that ordinary people can get protection. Law and order situation has collapsed in Mysuru, the home district of chief minister. Marigowda should be immediately arrested and the Shikha given adequate protection, she demanded.

She said that she had spoken to Shikha. Recalling the incident of another IAS officer Rashmi Mahesh getting abused for discharging her duties while serving in Mysuru, Karandlaje said that many honest officers are getting demoralised because of the highhanded behaviour of the followers of some influential politicians of the ruling party.