Vikram Simha walks out of the senior civil judge’s residence after he was granted bail in a tree-felling case, in Belur of Hassan district on Sunday.
Credit: DH Photo
Mysuru-Kodagu BJP MP Pratap Simha on Sunday accused Chief Minister Siddaramaiah of targeting his family to 'politically rehabilitate' his son Yathindra, who had sacrificed his Assembly seat Varuna for his father in the elections held in May.
In an emotionally charged reaction to his brother Vikram Simha’s arrest in a tree-felling case, Pratap Simha told reporters, “My brother’s name was not there in the FIR earlier. He wasn’t even absconding. Yet, he was arrested. Please arrest my elderly mother and sister also. You are making all-out efforts to suppress Pratap Simha for your son’s (Yathindra) political future. It is for the same reason you pressed for an inquiry on me in Parliament security breach issue. But I want to tell you that the people of Mysuru-Kodagu are with me.”
Vikram Simha was arrested on Saturday in connection with the felling of a large number of trees in a farm in Hassan to grow ginger.
CM reacts
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the annual awards ceremony of Press Club of Bengaluru, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, rejecting the BJP MP’s charges, said, “Whoever violates rules will be arrested. Why will someone be arrested without any reason,” the chief minister sought to know.
Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre said action would be taken against those who were involved in felling trees worth crores of rupees.