Bengaluru journalist claims getting death threats after reporting on Kharge family trust

A journalist in Bengaluru said Thursday he received abusive calls and death threats regarding reports about the Karnataka High Court’s observations relating to a trust associated with Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, state Home Minister Priyank Kharge, and members of their family.

Mahantesh Bhadravati, 50, editor of the Kannada investigative digital platform, The File, said the reports were published on September 8 and 9. The journalist alleged that soon after the reports appeared on the platform’s Facebook page, he began receiving calls and WhatsApp messages from an unidentified number.

The caller questioned him about the stories, abused him, and threatened to kill him if he did not take the posts down. The same person also posted alleged abusive comments on his Facebook posts. In his complaint, Bhadravati identified the caller as Dilip Kumar Malagi, 21.

Police officers, however, are trying to find the accused’s true identity. “We are trying to ascertain whether the person named in the complaint actually sent the threats, or whether someone else is using a SIM card registered in that person’s name,” an officer said.

“Verification of the number’s ownership and the identity of the person who actually sent the messages is still underway,” the officer added. The police have filed the FIR under Sections 352 (intentional insult) and 351(3) (criminal intimidation) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.