Bangalore : A day after he reiterated his demand for statehood for North Karnataka, former minister and BJP leader Umesh V Katti claimed that he received threatening calls from a close aide of underworld don Ravi Pujari on Tuesday.

Katti lodged a complaint with the Vidhana Soudha police on Tuesday and sought action against those who made the threat calls. He has also sought police protection.

The former minister in his complaint stated that a person called him and directed him not to make such statements seeking division of Karnataka. The caller, who introduced himself as Kali Yogesh, told Katti that his demands for bifurcating Karnataka were unpardonable He threatened Katti with dire consequences if he did not stop making such statements, the complaint stated.

Katti told the police Yogesh claimed he was a close associate of Ravi Pujari. The call originated from a cellphone.

“We received a complaint from Umesh Katti about receiving threatening calls. We have registered a case under IPC Section 506 (criminal intimidation). The person who called Katti is said to be named Kali Yogesh,” DCP (Central) Sandeep Patil said.