Daijiworld Media Network – Sullia (MS)
Sullia, Apr 19: Sai Giridhar Rai, resident of Bellare in the taluk was sentenced to two years in prison for abusing D K Shivakumar over the telephone, when he was energy minister in the then government, on February 28, 2016.
As per details, Sai Giridhar Rai, an electricity consumer of Bellare, had called Shivakumar on February 28, 2016 and abused him over the telephone over the unlimited power cut that was prevailing at that time in the taluk.
D K Shivakumar (left) and Sai Giridhar Rai
The senior officials of Mescom had filed complaint in the police station accusing Rai of abusing minister Shivakumar in obscene language along with raising the power cut issue. The police had raided the house of Giridhar Rai on the very night of the incident. When he did not open the door, police went inside the house from the roof after removing tiles and arrested Giridhar. This case had created sensation all over the state. A case was filed for obscene language, threat to life, libel and obstruction to government duty on Rai.
The then sub inspector of Sullia police station, Chandrashekhar H V had filed charge sheet in the court. Shivakumar was also made as witness in the case. As he did not attend the inquiry, a summons was served on him and he had come all the way from Bengaluru on October 5, 2021 to depose before the court.
Pronouncing the verdict, senior civil judge of the taluk court sentenced accused Rai to two years in prison for all the four offences and Rs 5,000 in fine. If he is unable to fine, he has to undergo one month of additional jail sentence. Accused is given a month’s time to appeal to higher court against the verdict.
Assistant public prosecutor Janardhan argued for the prosecution.