Bengaluru: Sandalwood actor and producer Duniya Vijay was arrested by the High Grounds police on Sunday night for allegedly assaulting and kidnapping a celebrity gym trainer late on Saturday night.
High drama prevailed at the High Grounds Police Station on Sunday morning when a team of policemen from the station picked up the actor and took him to the Vyalikaval police station for questioning.
The police said that Vijay kidnapped Maruthi Gowda over an old rivalry. Maruthi's uncle Krishnamurthy H. alias Pani-puri Kitty Kitty, a gym owner, filed a police complaint late on Saturday night, accusing Vijay of assaulting and kidnapping his nephew from near Ambedkar Bhavan on Saturday night after a bodybuilding event.
Acting on the complaint, the police arrested Vijay and questioned him for over six hours on Sunday.
Later in the night, they produced him before the eighth ACMM magistrate at his residence, who sent the actor to 14 days judicial custody.
The police had to deploy KSRP forces near the High Grounds police station after Maurthi’s relatives, who had gathered near the station, threw stones at the actor’s car.
On Saturday night, Vijay and Maruthi had a shouting match. The actor and his men then waylaid Maruthi, bundled him into their SUV and assaulted him.
Duniya Vijay and Pani Puri Kitty too had a fight right in front of the police when the actor was brought to the police station. Policemen intervened and separated the two, sources said. The police have also arrested Vijay's driver, Prasad, a prime accused in the case, Prassanna, a body builder, and Mani, a gym coach and a businessman.
Ambedkar Bhavan was a scene of high drama late on Saturday night when Kannada actor Duniya Vijay allegedly assaulted, bundled a celebrity gym trainer into the car and kidnapped him to avenge an old rivalry at Vasanth Nagar, here.
Duniya Vijay was the chief guest at a body building competition at Ambedkar Bhavan, where the victim, Maruthi Gowda – a gym trainer, too was present. Maruthi allegedly started at Vijay and passed a comment against him, which was not liked by the actor and his fans, the police said.
After the function got over, Vijay and Maruthi came to the street outside Ambedkar Bhavan and started a fight. Maruthi told the police later that he was chased for a few kilometres by the actor and his 10 men. They bundled him into a car and sped away, even as they covered his face. All along the way, the actor and his men threw punches at Maruthi. They also made a video, where they forced Maruthi to say that it wasn’t Vijay but his followers and fans who attacked him.
Around 9 pm on Sunday, the High Grounds police produced Duniya Vijay and the four other accused before the 8 ACMM court magistrate at his residence in Koramangala. All the accused were remanded to 14 days judicial custody.
Vijay threatens Maruthi’s uncle
Maruthi on Sunday addressed the media and said that apart from Duniya Vijay, Prasanna, a body builder, Mani, a gym trainer, and Prasad, the driver, kidnapped and assaulted him.
Soon after the kidnapping drama started, Maruthi’s uncle Krishnamurthy H. alias Pani Puri Kitty (40) approached the High Grounds police station early on Sunday morning and filed a complaint of kidnapping and assault against Vijay. He stated that after the body building competition got over, he received a call from his friend that Vijay and his associates had picked up a fight with Maruthi. “I immediately called Maruthi and learnt that he was being kidnapped. But Duniya Vijay snatched the phone from him and spoke to me. He threatened me with dire consequences and disconnected the call,” Krishnamurthy stated in the complaint.
Did Vijay surrender?
The police said that after the complaint was filed, they called up Vijay on his phone and asked him to come to the police station along with Maruthi. But Maruthi denied the claim, saying it was the police who intercepted Vijay’s car and arrested him.
“I was beaten up brutally by Vijay and his men. My face was covered, but what I remember was that I was near the Rajarajeshwari Nagar arch. Then the police came, rescued me and brought us to the High Grounds police station,” Maruthi said.
A tense situation prevailed at the High Grounds police station as the families of both the victim and abductors staged a protest, and the police had to summon a KSRP battalion to control the crowd.
The police booked Vijay under Sections 323 (assault), 363 (kidnap), 506 (criminal intimidation), 342 (wrongful confinement) and 34 (when a criminal act is done by several persons in furtherance of the common).
Vijay questioned
On Sunday, Vijay was brought to the Vyalikaval police station and grilled till late evening. When asked why the station was changed, a senior police officer said that the High Grounds police station was small and it was difficult to accommodate a large number of people.
During questioning, Vijay was told to sit on the floor, but he refused and demanded that a chair be given to him.
Previous cases
CK Achukattu police on May 31, 2018 filed a case against Vijay under Section 353 for using criminal force to deter a public servant from discharging his duty.
Another complaint was filed at the same CK Achukattu police station against the actor by his wife Nagarathna’s relative.
Second wife summoned
The Girinagar police summoned Keerthi Gowda, the second wife of Duniya Vijay after his first wife Nagarathna filed a complaint against her over property. Keerthi was let off with a warning.
