Former MLA quarrels with policemen who wanted to serve warrant

The former MLA Vijayanand Kashappanavar picked up a quarrel with police officers who went to serve him an arrest warrant in Hungund in Bagalkot district on Sunday.

The police personnel from Hungund had reached his house with an arrest warrant from a Bengaluru-based Special Court for disputes related to elected representatives. Officers also told him that the warrant was for a bailable offence and he could seek legal opinion about moving ahead with the case.

However, the Congress leader did not accept this. He argued that the police had come to his house to arrest him in the pretext of a warrant. Mr. Kashappanavar also accused them of rushing to his house, by falsely claiming that a neighbour had called them about some altercation in the Kashappanavar household.

The former MLA also accused the police of playing politics over the case. He said that they were acting on the orders of his political rival MLA and BJP leader Doddanagouda Patil.

“I know that you have not come here to serve the warrant. You have come here because Doddanagouda [Patil] has sent you,’’ he said.

The police officers did not accept this. They said that they had rushed to the house as they got a call from a resident of the area about loud noise arising out of heated arguments. “We will respond as swiftly when anyone calls us. It does not matter who calls us,’’ one of the officers said.

The officer said that he was willing to share the number that had given the information to the police and asked a relative of Mr. Kashappanavar to call back the person and cross check.

However, the Congress leader did not agree. “We will not call anyone. Now that you have come here to arrest me, you go ahead and arrest me. I will see what happens,” he said. He sat on his chair and did not move. The police repeatedly clarified to him that the purpose behind their visit was not to arrest him, but only to serve the copy of a bailable warrant.

The police left after a few minutes.

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