Karnataka BJP leader CT Ravi - arrested for allegedly making derogatory remarks against a woman Congress lawmaker in Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's cabinet - was given interim bail Friday evening.
"Release him immediately... wherever he is," the High Court said, noting Mr Ravi was not served notice before his arrest. The protocol states the cops should have done so before questioning and detaining him over a complaint filed by Women and Child Development Minister Lakshmi Hebbalkar.
"... a false case was filed against me and they (the Congress) treated me like a terrorist. Now let them introspect (on) what have they done. This is a win for the truth... the order is a clear message that we must all follow the law. There was no proof (but still) I was arrested," Mr Ravi said.
"I'm not doing well... I didn't eat properly last night and this morning too," he told reporters.
Mr Ravi was arrested following a complaint by Ms Hebbalkar - that he used objectionable language targeting her on the House; charges of sexual harassment and using insulting gestures amounting to sexual harassment were filed under the new criminal law, the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita.
READ | BJP's CT Ravi Detained For Remarks Against Woman Minister
According to Ms Hebbalkar, who had participated in a protest against the "Ambedkar is the fashion" remark by Home Minister Amit Shah, she was "sitting quietly" when Mr Ravi called Congress MP Rahul Gandhi a "drug addict". "In response I asked, 'Even you have been in accidents... does that make you a murder?'," she said, alleging the response contained derogatory language.
The arrest triggered a predictable furious exchange between the two parties, with dramatic scenes of shoving and jostling between their leaders doing the rounds on social media.
Reacting to the controversy, another BJP leader, R Ashoka, the Leader of the Opposition, said: "This is nothing but 'goondagiri'. CT Ravi was assaulted on the floor of the House (but) the Chairperson ruled no such incident took place. We don't know if a law-and-order system exists... we will protest."
BJP workers then staged protests in Chikkamagaluru and Belagavi condemning Mr Ravi's arrest and accusing the Congress of targeting opposition leaders. Meanwhile, Congress workers attempted to barge into Mr Ravi's home in Chikkamagaluru, but the cops set up barricades and blocked them.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah led the fightback, slamming the BJP for "supporting the use of derogatory language towards women". "If it is false CT Ravi used vulgar language then why was he arrested? Normally, women cannot file false complaints about such allegations. This is a crime."
Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar also hit out, saying, "There was a discussion in the House on the Union Home Minister insulting BR Ambedkar, and CT Ravi interfered and called Rahul Gandhi a 'drug addict'." Ms Hebbalkar was insulted, he said, when she tried to defend Mr Gandhi.
With input from agencies
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