Bengaluru: What's happening at the prestigious Karnataka Bhavan in the national capital? On Wednesday night, a team of the Delhi police raided the Bhavan after it received a complaint against Kannada writers and activists partying late into the night.
Supreme Court judge, Justice Dinesh Maheshwari - until recently the Karnataka High Court Chief Justice - who was staying on the same floor, reportedly objected to the noise, but when it didn't abate, called the police.
Members of a delegation of the Kannada Developmental Authority (KDA), a few officer bearers of a Kannada Sangh in Delhi and a senior journalist of a prominent Kannada daily were reportedly partying in a room on the first floor of the Bhavan when Justice Maheshwari sent his personal security officer asking them to pipe down.
But when this did not work, the judge is said to have gone down to the reception and called the police. Immediately, nearly a dozen policemen rushed to Karnataka Bhavan and closed the main gate to prevent anybody from leaving and then entering the room, where the partying was going on, allegedly warning those present with legal action.
On hearing of the raid, Resident Commissioner Nilay Mitash, too rushed to the spot. The Karnataka government later sought an explanation from Mr Mitesh, said sources.
Meanwhile, the fact that the Kannada writers were allowed to party in a no-party zone has raised eyebrows. It is also alleged that although the rooms at the bhavan are meant only for outsiders to the city, it often accommodates Kannada writers from Delhi and some of them were present at the party, which is not allowed for security reasons.
