Kalaburagi : A Karnataka BJP leader has been apprehended for engaging in a smear campaign against Minister Priyank Kharge. Manikanth Rathod has been charged under IPC Section 153 (A) for unjust defamation and 505 (1) (B) for incitement to commit an offense against the state or public tranquility. The case was registered at the Madaboola police station in Kalaburagi.
Rathod, who had contested as a BJP candidate in the Chittapur constituency against Priyank Kharge and faced defeat, had alleged that the police were acting under Kharge’s influence and failing to take action in a suicide case.
In a social media post, Rathod claimed that even after a month since a suicide incident in Kulagarthi village, the police had not arrested the suspects due to their affiliation with Priyank Kharge.
On Wednesday, Manikanth Rathod was taken into custody on charges of disseminating false information.
The arrest prompted strong condemnation from BJP party members, who staged a protest against the police in Chittapur town.
Protestors contended that the followers of Priyank Kharge were responsible for the death of a young individual in Kulagarthi village and criticized the police for not holding them accountable.
Rathod was detained at his residence in Kalaburagi city. Sources indicate that he was gearing up to join a protest before his arrest.
Prior to the police’s arrival, Manikanth Rathod recorded a video stating that the authorities were attempting to sideline his efforts to seek justice in the case of the youth’s suicide.
He affirmed, “I anticipate getting arrested, but once I’m released, I intend to orchestrate a large-scale protest to address this issue.”
Rathod had emerged as a prominent figure for the BJP in Kalaburagi district, which holds significance as the hometown of Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and his son Priyank Kharge. The father-son duo has wielded significant political influence in the district for several decades.
