Date:22/04/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/04/22/stories/2007042206780400.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

Case against BJP MLA to go to Central Parliamentary Board

Special Correspondent

MLA accused of harassing woman who attempted suicide

It is up to Board to initiate action

Renukacharya told not to participate in party activities

BANGALORE: The State unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will submit a report to the Central Parliamentary Board of the party on the criminal case registered against M.P. Renukacharya, MLA, who has been accused of harassing a woman.

President of the State unit of BJP D.V. Sadananda Gowda told reporters here on Saturday that it was the prerogative of the Parliamentary Board to initiate action against Mr. Renukacharya, who represents Honnali in Davangere district.

The legislator has been told not to participate in party activities.

Resignation

Earlier, Mr. Renukacharya handed over his resignation from the Legislative Assembly and as chairman of Karnataka State Electronics Development Corporation Ltd. (KEONICS) to Mr. Gowda. He has not forwarded his resignation to the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly.

Mr. Gowda said that the MLA had claimed he was innocent and told him that the charges levelled against him were politically motivated and false.

He had sought more time to expose what he described as the conspiracy hatched against him by Jayalakshmi, 36, a nurse, Mr. Gowda said.

The Chandra Layout police here on Friday registered a criminal case against Mr. Renukacharya following a complaint by Ms. Jayalakshmi, who attempted suicide on Sunday following alleged harassment by him.

The police have booked a case under several sections of the Indian Penal Code 387 (extortion), 504 (breach of peace), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 509 (insulting the modesty of woman) against the legislator.

`Charges baseless'

Later, addressing presspersons, the MLA said that Ms. Jayalakshmi had been making baseless allegations against him because she was part of a conspiracy hatched by his political opponents.

He had great respect for her and had not harassed her, he claimed.

The MLA said that he would produce evidence during the inquiry to prove the involvement of some Congress leaders in the episode.

The name of Deputy Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa had been dragged into the case to spoil the party's image.

Nobody could stop Mr. Yediyurappa from becoming Chief Minister, the MLA said.