The Kalaburagi district police investigation has revealed that the BJP leader Manikanth Rathod, who was said to be attacked by a group of miscreants on the National Highway 150 at Malagatti in Chittapur taluk on November 18 midnight, was trying to portray the accident as an attack.
Mr. Rathod’s associate, who witnessed the incident, recorded his statement before a Judicial Magistrate.
Kalaburagi Superintendent of Police Adduru Srinivasulu addressing press persons here on Wednesday said that after interrogating a close associate of Mr. Rathod who was with him during the incident disclosed alleged facts about the incident.
The whole episode came to light when the police chased technical evidence. Though Mr. Adduru did not disclose the case as it is in the investigation stage, the officer explained that Mr. Rathod suffered injuries after the vehicle in which he was travelling collided with a tree near Chepatla village in Yadgir district. Mr. Rathod travelled to Kalaburagi in his other vehicle and was admitted to a private hospital for treatment.
However, he concocted a story of being attacked by miscreants and registered a case in Shahabad police station stating that a group of miscreants attack his car in Chittapur taluk, and tried to mislead the police by hiding the alleged accident at Chepatla in Yadgir district.
During the investigation, the police found that the car which collided with a tree was shifted to Hyderabad in Telangana State for repair. The police would reveal the details only after the further investigation, Mr. Adduru said.
