‘Hai Bangalore’ editor Ravi Belagere, who is facing a jail term and Rs 10,000 fine imposed by the privileges committee of the Assembly, was admitted to a private hospital around 3 am in Dharwad on Saturday, after he complained of chest pain.
“Ravi Belagere has been secured and is under surveillance,” said a senior police officer. The Assembly, earlier this week, had adopted recommendations made by the committee, sentencing Belagere and ‘Yelahanka Voice’ editor Anil Raj to one-year imprisonment with a fine of Rs 10,000 for breach of privilege. The Speaker had written to the Director General and Inspector General of Police (DG&IGP) to take action. The DG&IGP, in turn, had asked Bengaluru City police commissioner to secure Belagere.
On receiving information that Belagere was in his farmhouse at Jagalpet in Joida taluk of Uttara Kannada district, the Bengaluru police sought the help of Uttara Kannada district police. The Uttara Kannada police team went to the farmhouse and secured Belagere. When the latter complained of illness, he was taken to SDM Hospital in Dharwad on Saturday morning. The Bengaluru police are waiting for the doctors’ clearance to take Belagere to Bengaluru, sources said.
“He got himself admitted to a hospital in Dharwad. The police will arrest him after doctors discharge him from the hospital,” Bengaluru city police commissioner Praveen Sood told DH.
Belagere told media persons that the government was strangulating freedom of speech and expression. The decision of the government would be challenged in the high court and also in the Supreme Court, if necessary, he said. He said, if he does not get justice, he will commit suicide, instead of surrendering. Bengaluru police have launched a manhunt for Anil Raj.
