Hanuman statue: FIR against Padmanabha Reddy and 17 others

An FIR was registered against BJP leader Padmanabha Reddy and 17 other members of Rama Chaitanya Vardhini Trust in connection with a 62-f00t Hanuman statue, by the K.G. Halli police.

The case was registered based on a complaint by Jagadish, Assistant Commissioner, who alleged that transporting the statue to the Ayodhya Rama Temple Complex in Kacharakanahalli violated a 2015 High Court order that ruled status quo in the premises. He also alleged that Trust members obstructed him from discharging his duty. Police have booked all the 18 for obstructing a government servant from discharging his duty and rioting.

The issue of the statue has taken a political twist with the BJP accusing local MLA and Minister K.J. George of putting a spanner in the works.

In a statement on Tuesday, Mr. George claimed that ‘some vested interests have been trying to defame me by positioning me as an opponent to this move’.

“However, in the recent past, I had met the Chief Electoral Officer, along with representatives of all parties, to ensure that the statue reaches the designated spot without causing any inconvenience or hurting anybody's sentiments,” he said.