C.T. Ravi case: Basavaraj Horatti says no further action unless Laxmi Hebbalkar files fresh complaint

Karnataka Legislative Council Chairman Basavaraj Horatti addresses complaints and allegations in the Laxmi-Hebbalkar-C.T. Ravi case, emphasizing the need for concrete evidence before action.

Chairman of Karnataka Legislative Council Basavaraj Horatti on Wednesday (January 1, 2024) said that unless he receives a fresh complaint from Women and Child Development Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar supported by audio-video evidence regarding what transpired in the Legislative Council on December 19, he would not be able to take any further step as he had already ruled on the issue.

Speaking to presspersons in Hubballi, Mr. Horatti said that he received the complaint by Ms. Hebbalkar on December 19, 2024, regarding MLC C.T. Ravi using derogatory terms against her when the House was adjourned for few minutes. Subsequently Mr. Ravi had filed a complaint accusing the minister of launching a disinformation campaign against him attributing to him a term which he had not used.

“I heard both the sides. As the reported incident happened after the House was adjourned, there was no audio-video recording. After hearing both the sides and consulting the council secretaries and also secretary general of Rajya Sabha, I had given the ruling on the issue in adherence to the procedures and regulattions of the council,” he said.

The chairman said that after the subsequent developments, including Mr. Ravi’s arrest and release on bail, he had received a complaint on December 24 regarding the alleged misbehaviour and threat issued to him in the Council hall by Congress leaders. “Mr. Ravi had filed a seven-page complaint before me alleging breach of Council member’s privilege by the police on December 27, which has now been referred to the Privileges Committee of the Council,” he said.

Mr. Horatti said that in the subsequent days, Ms. Hebbalkar had released a video clip of the purported incident and had also said that she would file another complaint with evidence before the Chairman of the Council.

“However till date, my office has not received any new complaint by Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar. If she files a complaint, then I will inquire into it and if video or audio clips are submitted as evidence, then they will be sent to Forensic Sciences Laboratory (FSL) to confirm the authenticity of the same. Based on the lab results, I will take further action as per the Council regulations in consultation with the Council secretaries and experts,” he said clarifying that there was no question of taking any action without any new complaint.

Regarding the requests for mahazar (panchanama) first by the Police Commissioner and then by CID officials, Mr. Horatti said that he had sought details on what type of ‘panchanama’ they would like to conduct for which no reply had been received so far. “Once they give us details of the ‘panchanama’ they want to conduct, I will take a decision on whether to allow it or not. And there is no mandatory rule to allow ‘panchanama’,” he said.