Days after speaking publicly about the Dharmasthala controversy, actor Prakash Raj has landed in fresh legal trouble. A Bengaluru court has reportedly issued a non-bailable warrant against him in connection with a case related to the alleged possession of multiple voter identity cards.
The court issues a non-bailable warrant
According to ANI, the 48th Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (ACJM) Court in Bengaluru issued the warrant after Prakash Raj allegedly failed to appear despite repeated summons from the court. The magistrate observed that the actor neither responded to the notices nor complied with the legal directions issued to him.
The development could create fresh legal complications for the actor while also bringing renewed attention to allegations surrounding his voter registration records.
As per an India Today report, advocate Dileep Kumar filed a complaint at Bengaluru’s Halasuru Gate Police Station in 2019, alleging that Prakash Raj was simultaneously registered as a voter in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Election Commission rules permit an individual to be enrolled as a voter in only one constituency.
Prakash Raj has consistently denied the allegations in the past, maintaining that he casts his vote only in Tamil Nadu. Reports suggest his legal team is likely to move a higher court seeking relief from the warrant or apply for immediate bail.
Prakash Raj’s name surfaces in Dharmasthala case
The actor’s name recently came up in connection with the ongoing Dharmasthala controversy after C N Chinnaiah, who has levelled allegations involving multiple murders, rapes and burials in the temple town, mentioned him in a writ petition before the Karnataka High Court.
Speaking to the media last week, Prakash Raj explained that activist Girish Mattannavar had approached him, claiming that Chinnaiah wanted to communicate with him.
According to PTI, the actor said, “As a citizen, what should I do? I received information from a person everyone was talking about. The moment I got that information, I immediately informed SIT chief Pronab Mohanty.”
In the petition, Chinnaiah alleged that he had been drawn into a broader conspiracy involving funds allegedly used to defame Dharmasthala. The filing also referred to a phone conversation between him and Prakash Raj.
Addressing the issue, the actor said he had no intention of concealing the interaction.
“So yes, he spoke to me, and I immediately passed the information to the SIT chief. Anyone can verify that. Beyond that, my role ends there. That is my responsibility and accountability,” Prakash Raj said.
Upcoming projects
On the professional front, Prakash Raj was recently seen in the Tamil film Kaalidas 2 and Telugu projects Seetha Payanam, S Saraswati and Dacoit: A Love Story. He also has several major films in the pipeline, including Drishyam 3 in Hindi, Varanasi and Spirit in Telugu, and Jana Nayagan in Tamil.
