Now, Nalapad booked for thrashing fellow Congress worker

Mohammed Haris Nalapad. DH PHOTO/Pushkar V

Mohammed Haris Nalapad is at it again This time, the son of Shanthinagar legislator N A Haris is accused of assaulting a Congress worker at a party event.

Nalapad reportedly got into an argument with Sachin Gowda S, a fellow Congress worker, at a debate contest organised by Youth Congress at Telugu Vignana Samithi Auditorium in Vyalikaval on Sunday.

Gowda later filed a complaint at the Vyalikaval police station, alleging that Nalapad and his gunman assaulted him. He also accused Nalapad of threatening and abusing him.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) Chetan Singh Rathore said a case had been opened against Nalapad, his gunman, Bengaluru Youth Congress vice-president Shivakumar, Manjunath and others under IPC sections 341 (wrongful restraint), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) and 506 (criminal intimidation).

According to Gowda, it all started when he asked Shivakumar why Gautam, the son of Congress MLA from Basavakalyan B Narayan Rao was not called on the stage. "We are investigating the allegations made in the complaint," Rathore added.

Nalapad's complaint

Curiously, even before Gowda went to the police, Nalapad had filed a complaint against him, saying he threatened and abused him at the event. Nalapad's complaint stated that he tried to reason with Gowda when the latter questioned Shivakumar. He said Gowda spoke to him in the singular and threatened to defame him in the media.

Speaking about Nalapad's complaint, Rathore said a non-cognisable report (NCR) was registered against Gowda and that further action would be taken as per the court's directions.

What really happened?

The debate contest is said to have been Nalapad’s initiative, and he was very much seated on the stage.

In the evening, the selection committee announced the winners, and Congress office-bearers were called on the stage to present the awards.

Sachin Gowda S, a friend of Goutam’s, first asked a Bengaluru Youth Congress leader why Gautam was not called on the stage to hand over the awards. He then took up the matter with Bengaluru Youth Congress vice-president Shivakumar. An argument ensued soon after, prompting State Youth Congress president Basanagouda Badarli and Nalapad to intervene.

Nalapad first came to the light in February 2017 for assaulting a fellow diner at a UB City pub. Last month, he was arrested following a road accident involving a Bentley that left three people, including a six-year-old boy, injured. Nalapad was released on station bail.