Nobody bigger than law, FIR filed against MLA JN Ganesh: MB Patil

Congress leader and Karnataka Home Minister MB Patil on Wednesday said that an FIR has been filed against party MLA JN Ganesh after he was suspended from the party over his alleged brawl with fellow lawmaker Anand Singh.

Ganesh and Singh allegedly got involved in a heated argument on Saturday at a resort near Bengaluru where the Congress party had sequestered 76 lawmakers to protect them from poaching by the BJP. Singh was admitted to a hospital on Sunday following the 'brawl'.

 Later, Ganesh issued an apology to Singh's family. Refuting the rumours about the fight, Ganesh wrote in his apology: "I would like to apologise to the family (Anand Singh) if they're hurt. Whatever the media is reporting is false. We had a heated argument. The quarrel snowballed. He slipped and he has suffered these injuries."

Following the incident, Ganesh has been absconding.

"Nobody is bigger than law. FIR has been filed against JN Ganesh and the party has already suspended him. Police are working on the case. Our party took initiative to take action against him after the assault report came out," said Patil while speaking to media here.

Meanwhile, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara asserted, "Strict action will be taken against Ganesh. Police will definitely find him as an FIR has been registered against him and investigations are on. Police will take necessary actions against him according to the law of the land".

Responding to reports that six party MLAs are ready to quit to join the BJP, Parameshwara said: "I am not aware of it. We have not come across anything like this. All are speculations. If someone serves us their resignation, we will accept it and take steps that are required".

Ganesh was suspended on Monday by Congress Karnataka unit general secretary VY Ghorpade on the directions of state unit president Dinesh Gundu Rao.

A Special Committee has been constituted under the chairmanship of Parameshwara with state ministers Krishna Byre Gowda and KJ George as members to investigate the issue.

-PTI