Don't know 'Santro' Ravi, says Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai

BENGALURU/MYSURU: Chief minister Basavaraj Bommai vehemently denied any association with KS Manjunath, alias Santro Ravi, who is accused of boasting of his proximity to top politicians and meddling in police transfers.
Bommai’s clarification came a day after former chief minister and JD(S) legislature party leader HD Kumaraswamy accused him and his cabinet colleagues of having links with Ravi. Kumaraswamy alleged Ravi plays a big role in transfers of police officers. Kumaraswamy’s accusations came after an audio recording of a purported conversation between Ravi and some police officers surfaced. The audio clip has since been widely shared on social media.
“It is Kumaraswamy who has made these wild allegations,” Bommai said on Thursday. “Let him provide the information. I do not know who Santro Ravi is.”
In the clip, a man said to be Ravi claims he is a close associate of the chief minister and several BJP ministers, and promises to facilitate police transfers. He also tells the officer that the CM addresses him as “Sir”.
He is also heard directing some police officers in a phone conversation to meet him at Kumara Krupa (government) guest house to facilitate their transfers.
Alluding to the clip, Kumaraswamy had said: “Bommai, who always claims to have guts and courage, should speak up now. Let him order an investigation into the link between Santro Ravi and ministers in his cabinet. What are his and their connections to the government? Who provided Ravi access to the state guesthouse? The CM and the home minister should reveal all this to the people of the state.”
Kumaraswamy also insinuated that the 14 Congress and three JD(S) MLAs who fled to Mumbai in 2019 resulting in the collapse of the JD(S)-Congress coalition government were helped by people with dubious distinctions like Ravi while in Mumbai. Taking exception to the remarks, BJP MLC AH Vishwanath, who quit JD(S) to help the saffron party form the government in 2019, said Kumaraswamy’s government fell because of his style of functioning. Health minister K Sudhakar, who also defected in 2019, also lambasted Kumaraswamy.
On Monday, a woman claiming to be Ravi’s wife filed a complaint with police in Mysuru alleging he had raped her in 2019 before marrying her. She also alleged that after their wedding, Ravi continued to harass and assault her and had married her only to prevent her from going to the police. She claimed Ravi was already married when he tied the knot to her.