Padmapriya case: Raghupathi Bhat pleads innocence

By Snehalatha, Udupi
Bellevision Media Network

Udupi, 26 May 2012: The famous murder case of Padmapriya, wife of MLA Raghupathi Bhatt in 2008 is still pending in the court; recently it has reached at Darmastala Sri Manjunatha temple.

 

Accusing the opposition and to clear his stand he said that his opponents are using this issue as a political tool to tarnish his image, he has been pained so much due to the wrong accusations that he has complained to God Sri Manjunatha at the Darmastala.  He has also given written confirmation that he is innocent on this issue.

 

He clarified his stand during a media press release on May 25 at Udupi Press Club.

 

He further said that in future if any one accuses me killing my wife Sri Manjunatha will watch them.  If I am responsible for murder of my wife, Sri Manjunatha will punish me and if I am innocent God will punish those accuse me of murder of my wife.

 

MLA’s wife Padmapriya was found dead hanging on a ceiling of an apartment in Delhi on June 10, 2008.  MLA Raghupathi’s close friend Atul Rao had helped Padmapriya to reach New Delhi and hence MLA has accused Atul Rao;s involvement and had  complained to the police that Atul is the main reason for his wife’s death.

 

Padmapriya

 

Atul Rao

 

 

 

 

After that State BJP Government submitted case to COD.   Since the case has been not cleared so far the opponents has been accusing Raghupathi Bhat hand in Padmapriya’s murder and this issue has been propped up during election and on many other occasions.  MLA has been clarified his stand many times.

 

In the recent Udupi-Chickmagalore by-poll election this issue was raised on many election campaigns and in media ads.  Due to this anti-campaign Raghupathi lost his election to his opponent Congress candidate for more than 11,000 votes.  It has been rumoured that Padmapriya was the trump card for the success of Congress win.

 

The incident of my wife’s death is a very personal issue of my family, the opposition party by using it as a political issue has not only pained me but also to my family including my mother, and other relatives.  The situation is so bad even my children are having doubt on my character and even in their school they have been looked down so much I may have to remove them soon from their school.

 

 

 

 

In the recent held Kola puja, I am advised that there is no solution to my mother’s pain and I have been advised to meet Sri Dr. Verendra Hegde and complain to Sri Manjunatha.  When I went to meet Sri Veerendra Hegde at Darmastala Punnya Kshetra, he advised me to keep my mother as a witness and take an oath in writing that I am innocent of murder of my wife.  He further confidently said that he has prayed to Sri Manjunata to find out and punish the guilty.