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Tamil Nadu Minister Rajmohan on Monday said the police would conduct an impartial inquiry into allegations surrounding the alleged assault of a man by state Deputy Speaker Ravi Shankar, adding that appropriate action would be taken if claims of police threats were established.
Reacting to the controversy, Rajmohan said the person who released the video had made contradictory statements, raising suspicions of political interference in the matter. He also called for an inquiry into the person to whom the video was initially sent and the manner in which it was allegedly used to exert pressure. "The person who released the video had been making contradictory statements, raising suspicions of political interference in the matter. An inquiry should also be conducted into whom the video was initially sent to and against whom it was used to exert pressure. The police would function impartially without favouring any political party," the minister said. He further said that if anyone had lodged a complaint alleging that the police issued threats, the matter would be investigated. "If anyone lodged a complaint alleging that the police had issued threats, an inquiry would be conducted. Appropriate action would be taken if the allegations against those concerned were established," he added. Meanwhile, DMK spokesperson TKS Elangovan criticised the alleged assault and suggested that the man may have approached the Deputy Speaker to raise a local issue that should have been addressed by the minister or the area's MLA. "He likely asked, 'What are you doing about this?' He probably raised an issue that should have been addressed by the minister or the MLA of that region. But how could he possibly question a TVK MLA? He couldn'the has no right to question a TVK MLA. They are kings, not democratically elected representatives. Perhaps that is why he was beaten," Elangovan said. The controversy relates to allegations made by a man who claimed that Deputy Speaker Ravi Shankar assaulted him after he approached the legislator to raise issues concerning basic amenities in his locality. The man also subsequently alleged that he was threatened and forced to record a video denying the assault. The alleged victim, Karthik Kumar, a resident of Kannabiran Colony in Thuraiyur, Tiruchirappalli district, said he had repeatedly approached the municipal administration regarding the lack of basic amenities in his locality, but no action had been taken. The alleged incident happened yesterday evening, on the occasion of Diwali, when Karthik Kumar visited the Mannachanallur area for urgent personal work. On noticing the car of Deputy Speaker Ravi Shankar parked there, he approached him to raise complaints about the problems in his locality. According to Karthik Kumar, Deputy Speaker Ravi Shankar got out of his car, verbally abused him using obscene language, assaulted him repeatedly, kicked him and chased him away. Following the incident, Karthik Kumar received treatment at the Samayapuram Government Hospital for his injuries. (ANI)
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