Duo vows to get ACP suspended for demanding car pass, arrested

Two realtors were arrested for allegedly abusing, threatening and manhandling police officers for asking them why they were driving around during the lockdown on the northern outskirts of Bengaluru last week.

Venkatesh Gowda (51) and Ramakrishna (48) have been booked for assaulting government servants while on duty, and were remanded to judicial custody.

On April 2, assistant sub-inspector Nagaraj and two constables, all from the Devanahalli police station, were checking vehicles at Rani Cross near Devanahalli. Around 6.30 pm, Assistant Commissioner of Police P T Subramanya, inspector Siddaraju, traffic inspector Chandrashekar and a few other policemen joined the checking duty.

“Around 7.30 pm, the police stopped Gowda and Ramakrishna who were driving an SUV. They took objection to being stopped and crossed the police barricade. But we overtook them and asked them to pull over,” the officer said.

The duo told the policemen they were “highly influential” and “knew several powerful ministers”.

When the ACP reminded them that they cannot violate the lockdown and drive around the city without a pass, one of the suspects threatened him, saying he would ensure he was suspended from service. He said he would recommend his suspension to the chief minister and not allow him to work in Devanahalli for demanding a pass.

When the police asked them to watch their behaviour, the suspects hurled abuses and threatened the officers.

The police bundled them into a vehicle and hauled them to the station. Later, they were remanded to judicial custody.

“Neither did the accused have the required pass nor were they wearing masks. They not only created a ruckus, but also threatened the police,” said ASI Nagaraj, the complainant in the case.