Karnataka Congress MLA Who Assaulted Another Lawmaker Amid Poaching Row Arrested From Gujarat

Bengaluru: Congress MLA JN Ganesh was arrested on Wednesday, almost a month after he was declared absconding for allegedly assaulting another lawmaker from his party during a brawl at a resort.

Ganesh was at large after the alleged assault on Anand Singh, both from Ballari district, on January 20 at the Eagleton Resort on the city outskirts, where the Congress had sequestered its MLAs to prevent a poaching bid by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

"Yes, we have arrested him (Ganesh)," Inspector General of Police of the Central range B Dayananda said.

State home minister MB Patil said Ganesh was arrested in Somnath, Gujarat, at 2pm on Wednesday and he will be brought to Bengaluru later in the day. "He will be produced before Ramnagar court on Thursday," he said.

Police sources said prior to his arrest, a team of about 18 officers had fanned out in Mumbai, Goa, Ballari and Hyderabad for searches.

Ganesh had allegedly attacked Singh with his fists and a flowerpot, hit him near his eye and kicked him on his chest, according to the complaint filed with the police.

According to the FIR, the fight began when the two were returning to their rooms after dinner and Ganesh asked Anand why the latter had not helped him financially during last year's elections. Following this, Ganesh allegedly threatened to finish of Anand's nephew Sandeep.

"When I asked him why he was bringing family into this, he threatened to finish me off. He then abused me and hit me with a wooden log and flower pots on my face and head," Anand Singh, MLA of Vijayanagara constituency in Bellary district, said in his statement to police.

"He then pushed my head against the wall, asked for a gun to finish me off. When I fell down, he stamped me on my stomach and face saying "die, die," the FIR stated.

Minister Thukaram, legislators Raghumurthy, Ramappa and Tanveer Sait are said to have intervened at this point.

A seriously injured Singh was admitted to a private hospital in the city. Based on his complaint, the police had registered a case of attempt to murder against Ganesh.

Fearing arrest, the Congress MLA did not appear for the crucial budget session of the state legislature, despite a whip.