Nirani accused of harassment

A complaint has been lodged against Medium and Large Industries Minister Murugesh Nirani with Lokayukta, on Tuesday, by Mahadev Jodakatti of Raibag in Belgaum.

Mahadev has accused the minister and four police officials - Raibag sub-inspectors Nilgaar P B, Arur Murugundi and Ramesh Aravind C and Circle Police Inspector of Raibag Gopalakrishna Gowdar - of harassment and corruption.

He had received a payment of Rs two lakh as advance to provide tractor to Nirani’s sugar cane factory in Belgaum. But he could not provide the tractor on time following the death of his younger brother.  He had sought a month’s time to send the vehicle. But, he alleged, this led to a spate of harassment by Nirani’s men.

His another brother Sangappa was taken by the minister’s goondas and could not be traced for a whole month. Neither the harassment case nor the missing person case was registered by the local police, he alleged. When he approached the Circle inspector, even he refused to lodge a complaint. Mahadev has further stated that the local police threatened to lodge a false complaint against him.