Security cover of five separatists withdrawn in aftermath of Pulwama terror attack

Pulwama terror attack

Sunday's announcement comes after Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, who visited the Kashmir Valley on Friday, had said that security provided to those who receive money from Pakistan would be reviewed.

IANS

PTI/file photo

The Jammu and Kashmir authorities on Sunday decided to withdraw the security cover of five separatist leaders, including Mirwaiz Umer Farooq in a reaction to the Puwama terror attack which killed 40 CRPF jawans. "A decision has been taken to withdraw the security cover of five separatist leaders -- Mirwaiz Umer Farooq, professor Abdul Gani Bhat, Bilal Lone, Hashim Qureshi and Shabir Ahmad Shah," state government sources said. According to the decision, armed guards, vehicles and other facilities to the separatists will be withdrawn by Sunday evening, the sources added. Sunday's announcement comes after Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, who visited the Kashmir Valley on Friday, had said that security provided to those who receive money from Pakistan would be reviewed. Shah is presently in custody in Delhi after he was arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in Srinagar on July 26, 2017, in connection with a terror funding case. Security cover was however, deployed outside his residence in Srinagar where his family resides. Senior separatist leaders Syed Ali Geelani and Muhammad Yasin Malik were not provided any security cover by the state government. Meanwhile, the curfew in Jammu continued for a third consecutive day on Sunday with the authorities saying that it will remain in force until the law and order situation improves in the city. "The situation was normal and under control during the night except for some stray incidents," a police official said. "Authorities will take a call later in the day whether the curfew can be relaxed or not." Protests took place on Saturday evening in the city's Nai Basti, Bantalab, Domana and Parade ground areas, but were quickly brought under control. The Army has heightened security in Jammu city to maintain law and order. The curfew was imposed on Friday after miscreants torched vehicles and damaged several others carrying number plates of the Kashmir Valley in protest against Thursday’s terror attack.  

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Pulwama attack: K’taka Deputy CM urges people not to harass, attack Kashmiri students

Pulwama Terror Attack

Meanwhile, the Bengaluru police have arrested one Kashmiri engineering student in the city for allegedly voicing support for the terrorists on Facebook, while taunting and ridiculing the Indian armed forces.

TNM Staff

PTI/file photo

In the light of Kashmiri students being attacked in various parts of the country in reaction to the dastardly terror attack on Friday in Kashmir’s Pulwama, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara called for people to stay “united”. He stated that harassing, attacking or abusing Kashmiri students for the terror attack won’t solve the issue. In a tweet, he also asked those needing help to reach out to Bengaluru City Police, tagging the city police commissioner in the post. Taking to Twitter on Sunday, Parameshwara, said, “In troubled times, it is imperative to stay united. Harassing, attacking or abusing #KashmiriStudents is not the solution for anything. Students from #JammuAndKashmir, please reach out to @BlrCityPolice or @CPBlr if you're feeling unsafe and need help. We are one.” The Deputy Chief Minister was commenting on a tweet by the CRPF, which has launched a helpline 14411 and (SMS 7082814411) for Kashmiris outside the state facing harassment. In troubled times, it is imperative to stay united. Harassing, attacking or abusing #KashmiriStudents is not the solution for anything. Students from #JammuAndKashmir, please reach out to @BlrCityPolice or @CPBlr if you're feeling unsafe and need help. We are one. https://t.co/CpDzcKDdvX— Dr. G Parameshwara (@DrParameshwara) February 17, 2019 The attack, which was carried out by a Jaish-e-Mohammed suicide bomber, killed 42 CRPF jawans, including 33-year-old H Guru, who hailed from Karnataka’s Mandya district. Soon after the attack, many students and traders from Kashmir were attacked and harassed by mobs in various parts of the country, including Dehradun, Jodhpur, Ambala, Panchkula, Delhi and Patna. Even former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah met Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, asking a nodal officer from the union ministry to address such concerns on Saturday. Even though there have been no reports of violence or harassment against Kashmiri individuals or establishments in the city, many on social media have offered their help, including shelter, to Kashmiri natives. Meanwhile, police in Bengaluru arrested one Kashmiri engineering student, Thahir Shazad Latif, for allegedly voicing support for the terrorists while taunting and ridiculing the Indian armed forces on Facebook. He is currently in judicial custody after being booked for sedition, criminal conspiracy and promoting enmity between different groups. The Bengaluru police have booked another Kashmiri man for a similar Facebook post after the Pulwama attack. He was thought to be a resident of Bengaluru but a preliminary investigation revealed that he had moved back to Kashmir six months ago.        

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Yeddyurappa, BJP MLAs get anticipatory bail in Karnataka audiogate scandal

Crime

BJP’s BS Yeddyurappa and other MLAs have been booked under the Prevention of Corruption Act for allegedly bribing Sharanagouda, son of Gurmitkal MLA Naganagouda Kandkur.

TNM Staff

PTI/file photo

A special Bengaluru court on Saturday granted anticipatory bail to former Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa and leader of state BJP, as well as his party colleagues in connection with the recent audiogate scandal. The court asked Yeddyurappa, fellow party MLAs Shivanagouda, Preetham Gowda and Yeddyurappa’s advisor Marakal to deposit Rs 1 lakh each in surety and warned against tampering of evidence. This development comes after an FIR was registered by Raichur police on February 13 against Yeddyurappa and others under the Prevention of Corruption Act based on a complaint by Sharanagouda, son of Gurmitkal MLA Naganagouda Kandkur. In an explosive presser on February 8, just ahead of the budget, CM HD Kumaraswamy along with Sharangouda, had released the contentious audio tape where Yeddyurappa is allegedly heard offering bribes and threatening Sharanagouda to make his father take part in ‘Operation Kamala’. The alleged conversation took place in Yadgir Circuit House, claimed Sharanagouda. While Yeddyurappa had initially denied ever meeting Sharanagouda in the Yadgir Circuit House in the early hours of February 8, he later admitted to being present there but claimed the audio to be doctored. Meanwhile, Karnataka Assembly Speaker Ramesh Kumar, who was also mentioned in the tape, had ordered a probe by a Special Investigation Team (SIT), set up by the Chief Minister, within 15 days. The voice purported to be Yeddyurappa’s in the tape had also said that the Speaker had been booked for Rs 50 crore. The BJP, which had protested the decision claiming they want a judicial probe, said they do not have any faith in any investigation carried out by a state government-run agency. The audiogate scandal was also discussed in Lok Sabha and became the focal point during the Question Hour on February 11 with Congress’ legislature party leader Mallikarjun Kharge and former Prime Minister HD Devegowda speaking on the issue. Earlier on the same day, Congress MPs had staged a protest holding placards in front of the Gandhi statue inside the Parliament complex against the alleged political “horse trading”.

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One arrested in Bengaluru for Facebook post on Pulwama terror attack

Crime

So far, two persons of Kashmiri origin have been booked by police for such posts in Bengaluru.

TNM Staff

One of the two men of Kashmiri origin booked by Bengaluru police on charges of sedition for allegedly voicing support for the recent Pulwama attack which killed 40 CRPF jawans, has been arrested.   Bagalur police on Saturday arrested Thahir Shazad Latif, a 22-year-old engineering student, for his posts on his Facebook page which allegedly “taunted and ridiculed” the army by posting images hailing the terror attack. DCP North East Kala Krishnaswamy told The Hindu that the accused was sent to judicial custody by a local court on Saturday evening. He has been charged with sedition, criminal conspiracy and promoting enmity between different groups. This comes after HAL Police had earlier registered an FIR against Abid Malik, believed to be a resident of Bengaluru, for his messages on Facebook which allegedly support the attackers and criticised the Indian Army in the aftermath of the Pulwama terror attack. He was also booked under the Prevention of Unlawful Activities Act along with criminal conspiracy. The FIR was registered on the basis of a compliant by Girish Bharadwaj. Soon after the news of terror attack was reported on Friday, Bengaluru City police commissioner’s office, the cyber crime cell and the social media accounts got many messages seeking action against Aabid. However, after preliminary investigation police found that he left the city six months ago. “We have traced his location to Jammu and he is no longer in the city. We are investigating into the content on his Facebook post which showed the Indian Army in bad taste and celebrated the dastardly attack,” an investigating officer told The New Indian Express on Saturday. Another senior police officer said, “We have received more than 150 calls and emails and Twitter tags since morning. We have passed on the information to the cyber crime department to investigate further. Meanwhile, his Facebook post has been pulled down.”          

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K’taka CM writes to PM, demands due credit for joint health insurance scheme

Controversy

The information material of the Ayushman Bharat-Arogya Karnataka scheme only carried photographs of the Prime Minister.

TNM Staff

File image

In another rift between the state and Centre, Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy objected to the Centre not giving due credit to the state in the information material of the Ayushman Bharat-Arogya Karnataka scheme, a joint health insurance scheme. CM Kumaraswamy shot off a letter to PM Narendra on this regard on Friday. He said that the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between the State and the National Health Authority (NHA) stated that all information, education and communication material, including advertisements, should carry photos of political functionaries of both the state and Centre. “Despite the MoU, these letters carry photographs of only the Prime Minister. Further, the State government was not consulted while sending these letters... it is requested that in future, advertisements, promotions and communication to beneficiaries be released only after due consultation with the State. If photographs are to be used, photographs of State functionaries should also be posted along with those of the Centre, as agreed upon in the MoU,” the letter stated. The letter also emphasised that a majority of the cost of the scheme was being borne by the state. “From its inception on October 30 till date, under the AB-ArK scheme, Karnataka has borne Rs 139 crore of the total expenditure of Rs 161 crore. The Centre’s contribution is a mere Rs 22 crore,” the letter said. “Now, it has come to our knowledge that the Prime Minister has addressed letters to beneficiaries of the scheme, along with dummy health cards containing details of the family members eligible under the Centre’s component of the scheme. This has created a lot of confusion on the field,” the letter added. This is in a series of events between the PM and Kumaraswamy. In December 2018, while addressing a rally, Modi called the state loan waiver “one of the most cruel jokes on farmers”. In retaliation, Kumaraswamy called it “factually incorrect, insensitive and very unfortunate”.      

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Karnataka mourns slain CRPF trooper H Guru

Pulwama terror attack

Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy, who was present for the last rites ceremony, announced a financial aid of Rs 25 lakh for the family of the slain CRPF personnel.

TNM Staff

The last rites of Karnataka's slain CRPF trooper H Guru was held in his native Gudigere in Maddur taluk of Mandya district.  Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy, who was present for the last rites ceremony, announced a financial aid of Rs 25 lakh for the family of the slain CRPF personnel. "The state government will give an ex-gratia of Rs 25 lakh to the family of the trooper, who laid down his life for the country," Kumaraswamy said.  His remains arrived from New Delhi to Bengaluru's HAL Airport in a special aircraft of the Indian Air Force. The tri-coloured cortege with Guru's body was lowered from the IAF's AN-32 transport aircraft at the state-run HAL airport in the city's eastern suburb and driven in a flower-bedecked military truck to Gudigere village in Mandya, about 100 km from the city. Along the way, the convoy was stopped several times delaying the funeral by over two hours. Thousands of people paid their tributes to the slain soldier along the way.  Constable (General Duty) Guru, 33, was among the 49 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) troopers who died on Thursday near Awantipora in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district in a terror attack on a bus in which they were travelling in a convoy to Srinagar from Jammu. The funeral was attended by Chief Minister Kumaraswamy along with officials of the CRPF. Guru's family members, including wife Kalavathi, father Honnaiah, mother Chikka Thayamma, younger brothers Madhu and Anand were inconsolable over his sudden death. According to his relatives, Guru was at home last week on leave and left for Jammu and Kashmir on February 10. The Chief Minister has assured the bereaved family of providing a government job to Guru's widow Kalavathi and compensation for his supreme sacrifice in the service of the nation. Guru joined the CRPF in 2011 after serving in Jharkhand as part of the 94th Battalion. Guru belonged to the 82nd Battalion of the CRPF and was posted in Srinagar. He had spent fifteen days at his home in Gudigere and is fondly remembered by his friends and family members.  He was travelling along with his fellow troopers from Jammu to Srinagar when the devastating attack took place in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir.  With IANs inputs

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Karnataka businessman jailed for income tax default of Rs 7.35 crore

Income Tax

Though the defaulter failed to appear before the TRO on 17 occasions to explain reasons for defaulting.

IANS

A Karnataka-based businessman has been jailed for six months for allegedly not filing his income tax arrears and interest of around Rs 7.35 crore despite reminders, an official said on Saturday. "The defaulter was arrested on Friday for failing to pay his tax arrears and produced before the Tax Recovery Officer (TRO) from where he was sent to jail for a tenure of six months," said the department in a statement here. The official, however, did not disclose the defaulter's identity and nature of his business, except that he is from Tumakuru, 70 km northwest from Bengaluru. Though the defaulter was given many opportunities to pay the arrears, he missed them and failed to appear before the TRO on 17 occasions to explain reasons for defaulting. "The defaulter appeared before the TRO in response to a notice on October 3, 2018, as to why a warrant to arrest him should not be issued. But he did not explain why he could not pay the dues," said the statement. The defaulter again appeared before the TRO on January 3 in response to a second notice issued on December 19 and assured the latter that he would remit the dues on receiving money from an unnamed debtor. "Inquiry by the TRO revealed that although the defaulter received Rs 1 crore from his debtor before January 3, he did not pay the dues even partly. Instead, he dishonestly utilised it for other purposes," said the statement. The defaulter on February 14 admitted to the TRO in a statement that he did not pay taxes despite receiving Rs 1 crore from his debtor. "The businessman violated provisions of Section 222 of the Income Tax Act, 1961, and Rule 73(a) and 73(b) of the Schedule II," said the statement. As the TRO considered no more inquiry was necessary under Rule 75 of the Second Schedule, the defaulter was arrested and produced before the TRO-7. "The TRO-7 committed the defaulter to civil prison on Friday for six months after he failed to arrange for paying the tax arrears," added the statement. In a similar case, the department arrested a Bengaluru businessman on February 12 at the Mumbai airport and jailed him for six months for failing to pay tax arrears, including penalty to the tune of Rs 11.94 crore. Section 222 of the Income Tax Act provides for attachment and sale of moveable/immovable property and arrest and detention of tax evaders.

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