'Tremendous pressure to withdraw plaint against police'

A friend of G Rajesh—a software engineer who was allegedly beaten up by policemen after he tried to intervene in a fight between two youths on Bannerghatta Road here last week—has alleged that the family was under “tremendous pressure” to withdraw the complaint.

Rajesh, who is being treated at a private hospital for multiple fractures in the right leg, had lodged a complaint with the Karnataka Police Complaint Authority (KPCA), alleging that a sub-inspector attached to Bannerghatta police station thrashed him with a cricket bat on October 16.

His friend, Gopal Menon, claimed on Wednesday that a local moneylender, Govardhan, along with an unidentified man, visited Rajesh in the hospital on Tuesday night, warning him of “dire consequences” if he did not withdraw the complaint.

The visitors “threatened to bring charges of rape and robbery” against Rajesh if he refused to fall in line, Menon asserted. But if he withdrew the case, the policemen promised to foot his medical expenses, Rajesh’s friend added. Menon further alleged that the lawyer who applied for Rajesh’s bail was “hired by Bannerghatta police to avoid any departmental action”.

“We have lodged a complaint at Hulimavu police station under whose jurisdiction the hospital, where Rajesh has been admitted, falls. But the police have not yet recorded his statement. We are waiting for an FIR to be lodged against the Bannerghatta police, especially Kumaraswamy, the Station House Officer,” Menon added.

Meanwhile, Menon and his friends met the KPCA Chairperson, Justice (retd) M P Chinnappa, who assured to investigate the matter. Rajesh’s friends also called on B Ramesh, the Superintendent of Police, Bangalore Rural, bringing his attention the matter.  Ramesh is said to have told them that an inquiry had already been ordered following media reports. Kumaraswamy could not be reached for comment.