Mangaluru: The II JMFC court in Mangaluru will take up the hearing of the criminal defamation case filed by Corporator Prathibha Kulai against BJP leaders on April 19.

On April 11, Prathibha Kulai had filed a complaint with the city police commissioner against BJP leaders for misusing her name and picture while releasing the BJP’s “charge sheet” against the ruling Congress government.

In her complaint, she had sought action against Union minister Ravishankar prasad, BJP state President BS Yeddyurappa, BJP MP Shobha Karandlaje, Publisher Narasimmha Murthy and Rastrothana Printers Official Dinesh Hegde holding them directly responsible for this blunder and sought legal action against them.

It can be recalled that a charge sheet published by the BJP as a pamphlet, and released by Union Minister Ravishankar Prasad had several allegations against the Congress party. The charge sheet mentioned that women corporators of Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) too are unsafe, pointing at the incident of how sari worn by JD(S) corporator Manjula Narayanaswamy was pulled.

Further it mentioned that BJP corporator Mamata Vasudev was facing regular harassment at the hands of supporters of MLA Muniratna, and that false cases were being lodged. The pamphlet claimed that Congress leaders were turning a blind eye to these instances apart from listing several other allegations.

Perhaps by oversight, the party had published the photograph of Mangalore city corporator Prathibha Kulai, instead of BBMP corporator. Moreover, this photo had been captured from the video clip aired by a television channel.