Congress MLA caught on camera ‘threatening’ officer

SHIVAMOGGA: A Congress MLA has landed in the soup after he was caught on camera threatening a forest officer and asking the latter to ensure that no forest personnel objects to the construction of a temple on forest land at Kodligere in Bhadravati.

In the video, which has now gone viral on social media, legislator B K Sangamesh is seen speaking to a person, reportedly a forest officer, over phone and asking him to ensure that Dinesh, a forester at Kodligere, does not object to the construction of the temple. The MLA made the call to the officer after performing the bhoomi pooja for the temple recently.

Allegedly using expletives against Dinesh, the MLA told the officer that he would see that the forester leg or hand is chopped off if he stops construction of the temple.“I will ensure that whoever raises an objection, his leg or hand be cut off. It seems you don’t listen to kind words. It is said that Dinesh (the forest personnel) objected to the construction. Tell him to guard the forest as many trees are being uprooted. Ask him to save the trees instead of opposing the construction of the temple,” the MLA is heard saying.

On Sunday, Sangamesh said that he regretted using abusive language against the officer. He also claimed that some forest staffers demanded bribes to allow the construction of the temple at the small piece of land which, he said, was not forest land but a graveyard.