Karnataka BJP MLA Harish Poonja was booked on Sunday, May 19 for obstructing police personnel from discharging his duties. On May 18 evening, he barged into the Belthangady police station demanding the release of a BJP Yuva Morcha member Shashiraj Shetty who was arrested for his alleged involvement in illegal quarrying at Melanthabettu village in Dakshina Kannada district.
The BJP MLA, along with a few of his supporters, barged into the police station and demanded the release of the accused. He also staged a sit-in protest in front of the police station. Videos of the incident, where the MLA could be seen shouting at an official, were shared on social media on Sunday, May 19. In the video, Harish is heard screaming, “This is betrayal. I will see how your department will do this,” and then goes on to sit on the floor. He then says, “You have arrested my karyakarta (party worker) for no reason,” to which the other police personnel respond saying that explosives were found. Harish continues with the protest claiming that Shashiraj was innocent.
A statement issued by the Dakshina Kannada police said, “(Poonja) abused and threatened officials, obstructed them from discharging their duty, and misbehaved by using unparliamentary words against the police department and police officials.” The police registered a case against the MLA under Sections 353 (assault or criminal force to deter a public servant from discharge of his duty) and 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) of the Indian Penal Code.
Shashiraj, along with another BJP worker Pramod Ujire, was allegedly running an illegal quarry. Acting on a complaint, an official team led by Belthangady Tahsildar Prithvi Sanikam raided the illegal stone quarrying site in Melanthabettu village on Saturday evening. The team, comprising revenue officials and local police, seized a large quantity of extracted stones, four live detonators, four used explosive substances, an earth mover, and a tractor. While Shashiraj was arrested, Pramod fled the scene.
This is not the first time Harish Poonja has been booked for obstructing officials. In October 2023, an FIR was registered against him for allegedly abusing a forest official clearing encroachment in forest land.