A S Ponnanna
Credit: DH Photo
Bengaluru: Nearly six months after the death of a BJP functionary, who had blamed Congress leaders in Bengaluru, the Hennur police filed the closure report, giving a clean chit to Congress’ Madikeri MLA A S Ponnanna and other suspects accused of abetment.
Vinay Somaiah, 35, was found hanging in his office in Hennur police station limits on April 4. Before his death, he allegedly posted a message on social media, accusing Thennira Mahina, a Congress worker in Kodagu, of being responsible for his death.
Somaiah’s brother Jeevan K S filed a complaint with the Hennur police against Mahina and Congress MLAs Ponnanna & Mantar Gowda, alleging harassment by them & their supporters.
Previously, a case was registered against three, including Somaiah, at Madikeri town police station on February 5. Somaiah was the administrator of the WhatsApp group ‘Kodagina Samasyegalu’ (issues of Kodagu), where derogatory messages against Ponnanna were allegedly shared.
The Hennur police registered a case under BNS sections 352 (intentional insults that are likely to cause a breach of public peace or commission of another offence), 351 (criminal intimidation) & 108 (abetment of suicide) after Somaiah’s death.
After a probe, police concluded that there was “lack of evidence” to back the allegation that the suspects were responsible for Somaiah’s death. Investigators verified Call Record Details of the suspects and WhatsApp details through forensic analysis and found no threats were made to the deceased.