Cops Book Supporters of Karnataka BJP MLA Who Flouted Lockdown Rules, Celebrated His Birthday With 100 People

Bengaluru: A day after BJP MLA Masale Jayaram celebrated his birthday with hundreds of people in violation of the nationwide lockdown, the Karnataka Police on Saturday registered an FIR against three of his supporters and other unidentified persons under Section 188 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

The FIR says the lawmaker was in the village only to spread awareness on the coronavirus outbreak, flying in the face of several pictures and videos from the celebration that show Jayaram eating cake fed by a supporter while standing in a crowd.

Jayaram, who represents Turuvekere constituency, celebrated his birthday lavishly in a government school in Tumkuru district's Idaguru village. Residents of Gubbi taluk came to the school to wish the MLA and were later served biryani.

Videos of the event that went viral on social media platforms showed the MLA giving a speech to his well-wishers, who crowd around the table before he cuts the cake. Pictures of the event showed a pandal erected in the school premise and several people preparing biryani. While many of them are seen wearing masks, no one adhered to social distancing norms. The MLA was garlanded, given a shawl and was seen wearing gloves and a mask, which he later took off to eat the cake.

But the FIR registered at CS Pura police station says Jayaram was not in the village when his birthday was celebrated.

"The information we received is that the MLA came directly from Bengaluru to Manikuppe village's Anjaneya temple. After offering prayers here, he went to Doddachingavi village and at the gram panchayat level there was a corona awareness programme that he was part of, then he attended the corona awareness programme in Idaguru village, then went to Ankola koppa for the same and distributed masks and soaps there," reads the FIR.

"Around 3pm is when he came to Idaguru village, distributed masks and soaps, spread awareness on COVID-19 and returned. Afterwards, violating government order on lockdown, his supporters celebrated the MLA's birthday calling all party workers, without maintaining social distancing and food was also served," it adds.