Did Karnataka cops cover up Congress MLAs’ brawl?

BENGALURU: The drunken brawl between two Ballari MLAs at a resort in Bidadi, Ramanagara has not only put Congress leaders in a spot of bother, but also the local police. Kampli legislator JN Ganesh allegedly hit Hospet MLA Anand Singh on the head with a bottle.
The opposition BJP has accused the Ramanagara police, under whose jurisdiction the incident occurred, of trying to hush up the case.The resort is located in the assembly constituencies of chief minister HD Kumaraswamy and water resources minister DK Shivakumar.
"Police definitely had prior information about the incident but failed to act," a BJP leader alleged. "Only after a Congress minister admitted that there was a fight between the two MLAs, the police took cognizance of the case and promised to act."
Ramanagara SP Ramesh Banoth told TOI that they will take action based on the medico-legal report from the hospital through Seshadripuram police. The SP also cited jurisdictional issues. While the resort where the brawl took place falls under Bidadi police station limits in Ramanagar district, the hospital where Singh is being treated comes under Sheshadripuram police station limits.
"We received the medico-legal report on Sunday evening and it suggests that there was alleged traumatic injury," Banoth said. "I have directed the Bidadi inspector to record Singh’s statement and take appropriate action."
Senior BJP leader Jagadish Shettar questioned the inaction of police, saying the incident holds a mirror to the collapse of governance in the state. "Police have become silent spectators in this case," he said. "When contradictory reports and statements are being made about the entire incident and health of Anand Singh, police at least should have taken up a primary investigation and cleared the air."
Defending the police, former DGP ST Ramesh said they cannot act suo motto especially when the victim is unavailable to render a statement. "Only after recording the statement of the victim, they can consider lodging a complaint (FIR)," he said.