AAP says case filed against its worker for questioning Somashekar over pothole death

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has alleged that the police filed a case against one of its workers for questioning Cooperation Minister S T Somashekar, in whose Assembly constituency a woman had died in a road accident "caused by potholes".

On January 30, a 38-year-old schoolteacher riding pillion on her husband's two-wheeler was run over by a truck on Magadi Road. Her husband is said to have lost control of the motorcycle while trying to negotiate a pothole. She fell off the two-wheeler, and was run over by the truck.

The AAP, which has been holding a series of protests on potholes, suggested that the jurisdictional Byadarahalli police had filed a case against one of its workers, Santhosh Gowda, for questioning Somashekar, the local MLA, about the pothole death.

On Tuesday, AAP workers staged a protest in front of the Byadarahalli police station and made several phone calls to the minister.

B T Naganna, vice-president of the AAP's Bengaluru unit, asserted that citizens have "full rights" to question elected representatives about public works and asked for the withdrawal of the FIR against Gowda.

"We filed a case against elected representatives and officials for looting the money sanctioned for roadworks. Instead of acting against those responsible, police are going after innocent citizens," said Dr Sathish Kumar, president of AAP’s Yeshwantpur division.