BJP leader booked under POCSO act for allegedly revealing identity of minor survivor

An FIR was registered against former Minister B Sriramulu under the POCSO and Juvenile Justice Acts for allegedly revealing the name of a minor survivor, police said on Monday.

The BJP leader had revealed the identity while addressing a mega protest rally here on January 17, targeting the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government in Karnataka over the deteriorating law and order in the state, in the backdrop of recent clashes in Ballari that led to the death of a person.

The case was registered at the Ballari Women Police Station under Sections 23(1) and 23(2) of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012, and Section 74 of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, police said.

Reacting to the FIR, Sriramulu's close friend and MLA G Janardhan Reddy said, the case has been registered on the basis of a complaint by Ballari APMC police station inspector and ''we will face whatever it is in accordance with law.'' BJP leaders, during Saturday's protest rally, had demanded the arrest of Congress MLA Nara Bharat Reddy in connection with the recent clashes in Ballari, and sought the transfering of probe into the case to CBI.

Tension had prevailed in parts of Ballari on January 1 night after supporters of Ballari City Congress MLA Nara Bharath Reddy and Gangavati BJP MLA G Janardhan Reddy allegedly clashed over a banner installation issue. The situation turned violent with alleged stone-pelting and firing of bullets, leaving one person, a Congress worker, dead.

The incident reportedly began after supporters of Bharath Reddy allegedly installed a banner related to the Valmiki statue unveiling in front of Janardhan Reddy's residence in Ballari.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)