Ramdas discharged; booked for attempt to murder

Police register complaint over year-old incident

Hours before he was discharged from a city hospital, former minister S A Ramdas was booked by the police for attempt to murder on a complaint by Prema Kumari Jadeda M, the government employee who had accused him of sexual and mental harassment. His brother was also named an accused. 

Ramdas, however, sought to put a brave front and said he would “fully cooperate” with the police. Coming out of the hospital in a wheelchair on Friday evening, he said he would brief the media once he “recovered fully”. Later, he was taken to his home at Gokulam here. 

Earlier in the day, Kumari, a resident of Kanakadasa Nagar, made a complaint to Police Commissioner M A Saleem at his office. The commissioner referred the case to the jurisdictional police.

Saleem told Deccan Herald that charges had been framed under Sections 307 (attempt to murder), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 417 (breach of trust) of the IPC. 

Action will be taken against the suspects only after the investigation is completed, as the complaint alleges the incidents which occurred a year ago. At that time, Kumari was staying at Rajarajeshwarinagar, under the limits of Saraswathipuram police station. Ramdas was earlier booked for suicide bid after Kumari publicly accused him of sexual harassment.

Earlier, Kumari was prevented by BJP workers from meeting Ramdas at the hospital. Appearing in a television programme, Kumari had disclosed her plans to meet the former minister. 

Ramdas’s supporters intercepted her car near the main gate of the hospital. She had bought a bouquet of roses. The protesters raised slogans against her. Police had to use mild force to disperse the crowd.  The car sped off and Kumari returned without meeting Ramdas. 

On the other hand, BJP Mahila Morcha workers staged a dharna near the main entrance to the hospital.