Vaiyalikawal police detained D Kempanna after a court issued a non-bailable arrest warrant for not appearing before the court in connection with a criminal defamation case filed against him and his associates by state horticulture minister Munirathna. 

Attempts to reach Kempanna went in vain as his phone was switched off. Kempanna had caused a storm a few months ago when he accused some ministers of demanding 40 per cent commission on public works in the state. 

This gave the opposition parties an ammunition against the ruling BJP in poll-bound Karnataka. -- PTI