According to sources in the Karnataka Legislative Council, Channaraj Hattiholi has been accused of physically assaulting two HESCOM officials in his home in Kuvempu Nagar, Belagavi, after the electricity supply to a stone crusher unit was stopped.
According to the information available, the incident took place after the officials were called to Hattiholi's residence on Friday morning. The two officials involved in the allegations are HESCOM Assistant Executive Engineer Deepak D. and Section Officer Raju Chavan.
The alleged confrontation took place when electricity to Lakshmi Stone Crusher was disconnected in Tarihal village of Belagavi taluk.
Electricity connection disconnected over pending dues
According to the complaint-related account, HESCOM had disconnected the electricity connection to the stone crusher after outstanding dues remained unpaid for around three months.
The pending electricity bill was said to be ₹77,360. Following the disconnection, the HESCOM officials were allegedly called to Hattiholi's residence to question them about why the power supply had been disconnected.
It was during this meeting that the alleged assault is said to have taken place.
The allegations have not, by themselves, established guilt, and the exact circumstances of the incident will depend on the police inquiry and any subsequent legal proceedings.
HESCOM Engineer Makes Allegations
Assistant Executive Engineer Deepak D. has said he was verbally abused and assaulted in the incident.
According to the account provided, Deepak claimed that his shirt was grabbed from the chest and that he was physically assaulted.
Section Officer Raju Chavan was also assaulted during the incident, the cops said.
Details about the alleged injuries, if any, and whether the officials were examined were not available in the information provided.
Dispute connected to power disconnection.
This might have been because of electricity dues
HESCOM is responsible for electricity supply across a number of districts in northern Karnataka. Disconnection of power supply can occur if consumers fail to satisfy all the relevant obligations and rules for electricity supply.
In this case, the dispute was allegedly due to the electricity connection of a commercial stone-crushing unit and outstanding dues of ₹77,360.
The officials are to be questioned over the decision to disconnect the connection before the alleged action, the report said.
In police inquiry likely to determine next steps
The allegations against a sitting member of the Legislative Council attracted the attention of the public as the incident was supposedly caused by government electricity officials performing their duties.
But at this stage, the allegations should not be taken as a finding of guilt. A police complaint, investigation, witness statements, medical records and other available evidence would be relevant in establishing what happened during the alleged confrontation.
And any action against those involved will depend on the complaint registered and the outcome of the investigation.
Channaraj Hattiholi is a member of the Karnataka Legislative Council. The official Karnataka Legislature records list him among the Council’s members.
The dispute as a result of this, has been put in the spotlight for the HESCOM officials and the representatives of the stone crusher. We expect more details as the investigation is conducted and the sequence of events is established.
For now, the main issue remains the alleged assault on the two HESCOM officials after the electricity supply was disconnected for outstanding dues of ₹77,360.
