K'taka polls: SDPI fields Nettaru murder suspect Shafi as candidate in Puttur

Ismail Shafi K alias Shafi Bellare (41), one of the suspects involved in the murder of BJP Yuva Morcha leader Praveen Nettaru, is contesting from the Puttur Assembly constituency on a ticket issued by the SDPI.

Shafi was arrested and named as one among 20 men allegedly involved in the murder of Praveen in the charge-sheet filed at the NIA Special Court in Bengaluru.

That SDPI will field Shafi in the Puttur Assembly constituency was announced by SDPI state president Abdul Majeed at a convention held in Puttur on February 10.

As Shafi is in prison, the nomination papers were submitted by the nomination proposer and agent Abdul Rahiman to returning officer Girish Nandan on Wednesday.

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Prior to the filing of the nomination, SDPI leaders and workers took out a procession from the SDPI office on APMC Road in Puttur to the Taluk office.

The NIA, in its charge sheet, had registered cases against Shafi under sections 120B, 153A, 302 and 34 of IPC and sections 16, 18 and 20 of the UA (P) Act, 1967.

There are also cases related to rioting, unlawful assembly, and criminal force to deter a public servant from discharging his duty, registered against him in Belthangady, Mangaluru South and Konaje police stations.

Shafi, in his affidavit, owns movable property worth Rs 41,094 and his wife Sabeena M has movable property worth Rs 1,53,053. He has liabilities to the tune of Rs 2.40 lakh.

He completed PU at Government PU College in Bellare in 2005. SDPI general secretary Anwar Sadat said Shafi is in jail as false cases were registered against him.

SDPI leaders and party workers, on behalf of Shafi, will seek votes during the door-to-door campaign.

"The voters are in favour of SDPI and there is a huge response for SDPI's candidature," he claimed and said that there is a direct fight between the SDPI and RSS in the Puttur Assembly constituency.

BJP, Congress and independent candidates contesting from Puttur are from Sangh Parivar's background, he added.