Congress faces criticism after general secretary KC Venugopal meets rowdy sheeter in KPCC office

In a video, AICC general secretary KC Venugopal was seen talking to rowdy sheeter Ishtiaq Ahmed, who is also the husband of Shivajinagar ward councillor Fareeda Ishtiaq. The SIT team also questioned the councillor as she had reportedly received Rs 2 crore from the prime accused Mohammed Mansoor Khan.

Bengaluru: Karnataka Congress has once again found itself in trouble after AICC general secretary KC Venugopal was on Wednesday (October 16) seen talking to a rowdy sheeter in the KPCC office.

According to reports, the two held discussions about the party's candidate to byelections in Shivajinagar constituency. The meeting was apparently held to discuss strategy in order to defeat former minister Roshan Baig, who quit the party and membership of the Assembly.

However, defending the general secretary, former Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah said that Venugopal met Ishtiaq Ahmed without knowing that he was a rowdy sheeter.

"If somebody comes to meet us, we cannot push them out because he is a thief or a gangster. Venugopal did not know that he was a rowdy sheeter, and we cannot ask people if they are a rowdy sheeter before meeting them. For instance, several people take pictures with me.  I don't even know who they are. So, these things should not be politicised," Siddaramaiah said.

Speaking to media, KPCC president Dinesh Gundu Rao, said, "Several people met KC Venugopal during meetings, this controversy is an attempt to defame him. Some of Ishtiaq's cases have been dropped already, and I do not mean that he no longer has cases against him."