‘Disappearance’ of farm loan waiver money: K’taka CM blames cooperative banks

Politics

The DCC banks had to pay back loans to Apex Banks and they have used the loan waiver money to return it, Kumaraswamy said.

TNM Staff

In the beginning of June, over 13,000 farmers in Kalaburgi and Yadgir woke up to the reality that the money they had received from the loan waiver scheme was returned to the government. Over three weeks after the incident came to light, Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy, who visited Gurmitkal in Yadgir said that the district co-operative banks and Apex banks had made a mistake and that the state government had not taken away the farmers’ money. Read: Karnataka farm loan waiver money ‘disappears’ from accounts of over 13,000 farmers Speaking to the people of Yadgir during his village stay campaign, CM Kumaraswamy said, “The DCC (district cooperative central banks) have made mistakes. The DCC banks had to pay back loans to Apex Banks and they have used the loan waiver money to return it. This was not an error on behalf of the government. We will make sure your money is returned,” Kumaraswamy said. The Chief Minister said that the government had released Rs 320 crore to DCC banks to waive loans and that 72,000 farmers’ loans worth Rs 199 crore had been waived. “The remaining money was returned as the DCC banks owed Apex Banks money. They were not supposed to use the loan waiver money. However, I have directed officials concerned to release extra Rs 100 crore so that farmers will get their money on time,” Kumaraswamy added. Prior to May 23 (Lok Sabha results), the state government had announced that loans in commercial banks worth Rs 4,830 crore had been waived for 7.49 lakh farmers till April 2019; and loans in cooperative banks worth Rs 3,488 crore were waived for 8.1 lakh farmers. The CMO had specifically stated that Kalaburgi district had the maximum number of beneficiaries from the co-operative bank sector (72,654), followed by Haveri (62,915) and Raichur (49,280). In commercial banks, Belagavi district had recorded the highest number of farmers whose loans have been waived (87,276), followed by Tumkur (82798) and Mandya (78,167). When the issue came to light, Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy had said that the discrepancy was noted in the bank accounts of 13,988 farmers in the state and had promised to probe the matter. A meeting was held with representatives of various banks on June 14. However, Kumaraswamy had blamed the nationalised banks at the time and not the DCC banks. “Since this morning (Tuesday), news is being circulated that the state government had deposited the money ahead of the elections only to win votes. What will you (the media) benefit from this? The discrepancies have occurred in nationalised banks. You (the media) praise Modi every day. Why not question him about this?” Kumaraswamy said.    

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IMA investment scam: Did government agencies neglect I-T warning in 2017?

Crime

The SIT on Friday took four men believed to be tasked with promoting IMA's scheme into custody.

TNM Staff

The Special Investigation Team probing the halal investment scam perpetrated by IMA’s Mohammed Mansoor Khan on Friday took four of the company’s marketing representatives into custody. The SIT detained Mohid Idrees, Fousal, Shahdaab Khan and Irshan Khan. SIT sources say that the four men were appointed by Mohammed Mansoor Khan, the founder of IMA, to lure in more people to invest money into the scheme. “Mohid, Fousal, Shahdaab and Irshan were equivalent to marketing representatives. Their job was to promote IMA’s investment scheme and bring in more people. They were also given generous commissions once a new investment bond was issued,” the source said. Investigators suspect that the four men may have clues regarding the disappearance of gold, silver, diamonds and other ornaments from IMA jewellery stores in Jayanagar and Shivajinagar. “There are also several documents related to the business, which is missing. We are also questioning them to see if they know of Mansoor Khan’s whereabouts,” the SIT source added. Meanwhile, investigators have learned that the Income Tax Department had notified several government agencies including Department of Commercial Tax, Company Registrar, Revenue Department, Co-operation Department, Bengaluru Police Department, CID, Enforcement Directorate and Customs Department of the search and seizure operations on IMA offices and Mansoor Khan’s home in 2017. On September 7, 2017 the issue of IMA’s suspected fraud was raised at the Regional Economic Intelligence meeting, where several policemen and bureaucrats were present, SIT sources say. “We are trying to find out why no action was taken despite the intimation from Income Tax Department that Mansoor Khan’s IMA had misappropriated around Rs 1,000 worth assets,” the SIT source added. “The Income Tax Department too has certain probative limitations and hence it had intimated other agencies to look into the issues relevant to their respective departments. The other agencies were supposed to carry out a probe into various dealings of the firm,” an I-T source said.    

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Deve Gowda says mid-term polls in Karnataka imminent, but clarifies it’s for local body

Politics

Reporters were asking HD Deve Gowda questions pertaining to the Assembly elections when one of them asked him about mid-term polls in Karnataka.

TNM Staff

PTI Image

JD(S) supremo HD Deve Gowda, during an interaction with the media on Friday, claimed that mid-term polls are imminent in Karnataka as he is unsure how long the JD(S)-Congress coalition government will continue in the state, given the internal conflicts. The former Prime Minister was interacting with the media after performing yoga at his residence in Bengaluru, to mark the 5th International Yoga Day, when he made the statement. The reporters were asking questions pertaining to the Assembly elections when one of them asked Deve Gowda about mid-term polls in Karnataka.   "There is no doubt that there will be mid-term polls. They (the Congress) said they will be supporting us all along but we are watching the developments. Our people are smart and this is not something you (the media) have to tell us about. We have seen so much, all that has happened in this country," Deve Gowda said.   However, he later clarified this statement, stating that he was referring to mid-term polls for local body elections and not the Karnataka Assembly.  Deve Gowda further added that he had suggested that Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge should have become the Chief Minister of the state last year. “Why did they (the Congress) come to us? Because (BS) Yeddyurappa had taken oath (as the Chief Minister) and then they came to us asking my son to become the CM. I suggested Mallikarjun Kharge should be CM," he said, speaking to reporters about the frantic circumstances in which HD Kumaraswamy was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Karnataka in May 2018. After the results threw up a hung verdict, JD(S) and Congress joined forces to form the government in the state. But a year later, in 2019, the future of the coalition government is uncertain, particularly after both parties faced a humbling defeat in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Deve Gowda’s statement on Friday comes just days after he met Congress President Rahul Gandhi and requested him to ensure that Congress leaders in Karnataka refrained from publicly discussing the coalition government in the state. The meeting came in the wake of reports that former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had suggested that the Congress is better off withdrawing support to the coalition government in Karnataka.  CM HD Kumaraswamy even bemoaned the internal conflicts affecting the functioning of the coalition government. Recently, two independent MLAs, R Shankar and H Nagesh, were inducted into the Karnataka cabinet, overlooking senior Congress leaders. The decision had not gone down well with several Congress leaders, who were expecting to be part of the cabinet. Read: How Congress's weak national image makes it unlikely to leave Karnataka’s coalition govt

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Kohli on verge of beating Tendulkar, Lara to be fastest player to achieve this record

Sport

He could become the fastest batsman to score 20,000 international runs when he takes strike against Afghanistan in the World Cup tie on Saturday.

IANS

India skipper Virat Kohli will have the chance to add another feather to his cap by becoming the fastest batsman to score 20,000 international runs when he takes strike against Afghanistan in their World Cup tie at the Rose Bowl in Southampton on Saturday. Kohli currently has 19, 896 runs to his name and is just 104 runs short of the record that legendary Indian batsman Sachin Tendulkar holds together with West Indies great Brian Lara.If Kohli manages to score 104 runs against Afghanistan, he will reach the 20,000-international run milestone in 415 innings (131 in Tests, 222 in ODIs and 62 in T20Is). Tendulkar and Lara, both had reached the milestone in 453 innings, followed by former Australian skipper Ricky Ponting who scored 20,000 runs in 468 innings. The 30-year-old run-machine has been in great form in the ongoing tournament. After getting out cheaply against South Africa in the World Cup opener, Kohli scored 82 runs against Australia and 77 against Pakistan. Interestingly, during the innings against Pakistan at Old Trafford on June 16, Kohli also became the fastest batsman to score 11,000 ODI runs. Kohli is currently leading India at the World Cup in England. He earlier won the World Cup in 2011 contributing with the bat. He scored a century against Pakistan in the 2015 Cricket World Cup in Australia/New Zealand. He has been in good form in the current world cup scoring 77 and 82 against Pakistan and Australia respectively. However, a century has so far eluded him in the ongoing World Cup

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Four injured in accident at Bengaluru's WonderLa, cops probe after video emerges

Accident

Police say the accident occurred on June 18 but they were unaware of it.

TNM Staff

A capsule of a thriller ride at Bengaluru’s WonderLa is seen fallen on the ground in a video that went viral on Friday. One of the capsules from the primary machine has been dislodged. Four men, who were seated in the capsule are stuck between the capsule and the ground, the capsule weighing down on their knees. Though the video went viral on social media on Friday, the local police say that the accident occurred on the afternoon of June 18 and that they were unaware of the incident. Speaking to TNM, Harish, sub-inspector of the Bidadi Police Station said that four men aged between 25 and 45 years sustained injuries on their knees due to the accident. On the afternoon of June 18, the four men got onto one of the thrill rides in WonderLa – The Hurricane. The Hurricane’s machinery resembles a fan with three capsules that can seat eight people in each, four people at the front and four at the back. As the fan turns, each capsule also rotates on its own axis. “On June 18th afternoon, the ride began and midway, there was power failure. The staff at WonderLa said it was a power cut. The machine was to be operated manually by the staff. As the ride was completed, the staff members were lowering the capsules to the ground. They said there was some technical glitch and the staff lost control over the machine, which toppled to the ground. Those who were sitting on the front of the capsule got stuck and they were injured,” SI Harish told TNM. The staff rushed to their rescue and lifted the capsule off the ground. The incident was captured by on-lookers, which was initially posted on Instagram and later went viral on WhatsApp and Twitter on Friday. “The injured were rushed to the hospital by WonderLa staff. They are currently at BGS Hospital. We did not learn of the video until Thursday evening and we waited for a memo from the Kengeri Sub-division to carry out a probe since none of the victims had filed a complaint. This morning, after receiving a memo, our officers have gone to obtain the statements of the victims. WonderLa staff had not told us about it because the victims had not filed a complaint,” SI Harsih added. A WonderLa spokesperson from Wonderla told The New Indian Express, "We did not inform the police since it was not a major incident." Read: Narrow escape for 12 after Chennai amusement park ride plummets to the ground  

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1.5 years later, those who cleared Karnataka public service exam await recruitment

Exams

For the latest KPSC batch – the ones who cleared the exam in December 2017 – the interview dates are yet to be announced.

Soumya Chatterjee

Image for representation | PTI

‘Government’s work is God’s work’: these words stand out even in grandiose of the Vishana Soudha in Bengaluru. But getting an opportunity to do the same is rather difficult and inordinately delayed for Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) aspirants, thanks to no clarity on the date of interviews and recruitment for those who cleared the exam. KPSC, the civil services entrance exam through which Karnataka Administrative Service (KAS) officers are recruited, is modeled around the Union Public Service Commission which recruits IAS officers. In the last decade, there has been only one round of recruitment that has for about 400 positions despite more than 2,000 posts being vacant. And for the latest batch – the ones who cleared the exam in December 2017 – the interview dates are yet to be announced. Meanwhile, the recruitment of the 2011 batch has also been stayed by the Karnataka High Court due to irregularities. While hundreds of people’s futures hang in the balance, the KPSC, an independent body, has been delaying the recruitment process without any clarification. Raghavendra is one of those people who took the last KPSC examination in 2017. The test was notified in 2015, but wasn’t conducted for two years. The 30-year-old Bengaluru resident is an M Tech degree holder. He rues that his future is continues to be uncertain though he spent years focusing on government job exams. “KPSC have been delaying the interview process for almost two years now. More than 2,000 students have qualified for the interview process. From January 2018 till now, only document verification has taken place and they do not have any clue when in actuality the recruitment will take place,” Raghavendra tells TNM, disappointment apparent in his voice. He adds, “The delay is not only an issue of immediate employment or income. Many of us will lose our eligibility. 35 is the age limit for general category, 37 for OBCs and 44 for SC/ ST category candidates.”   Kavya K, another aspirant, said, “We are frustrated at this point. Administration is something which we like and that is why we invested our time preparing for these examinations. But unlike UPSC we do not find any pattern for KPSC exams. We are being kept in the dark about our future.” Under these circumstances, Kavya has started to work part time as an online educator. Poorna Chandra, Raghavendra’s contemporary, tells, “It is not that we are asking for a job. But we are looking for an answer for closure. Is that a lot to ask? In UPSC, across the nation, the results are declared within three months or so. But here the KPSC is so inefficient that it doesn’t happen even in one year.” He adds, “Everybody has financial commitments. It is not possible for everybody to pursue this process without any steady income for years.” Unlike other issues, neither the state government nor the Opposition has made any effort to elevate the woes of these 2,000 aspirants who appeared for the KPSC examinations. Only BJP MLA from Rajajinagar Suresh Kumar, has lent support to the cause of these aspirants and even participated in protests outside the KPSC office. “SS Jannu, the secretary of the KSPC has even lied to him saying that the interview will be held in next days and letters will soon be dispatched,” Raghavendra alleges. When confronted with the issue, an official from the Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy’s office, said, “The matter does not pertain to the state government or the CMO. But we will look into it to help the students.” While the KPSC is an independent body, aspirants feel that the state government must try to keep a check on it. Former Karnataka Chief Secretary Ratna Prabha K agrees. She says, "I can understand the plight of the aspirants, they must be getting worried. The state government can obviously do its bit. I, as a chief secretary, wanted to do my bit. I am not able to understand why there is this long a delay." A comment from current Chief Secretary Vijay Bhaskar is awaited.

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I am being punished for speaking the truth: Cong leader Roshan Baig on suspension

Politics

Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee President Dinesh Gundu Rao on Wednesday suspended Baig for indulging in anti-party activities.

IANS

Reaffirming his loyalty to party president Rahul Gandhi, Karnataka Congress legislator Roshan Baig on Thursday said he was suspended from the party for speaking the truth on the party's dismal show in the recent Lok Sabha elections due to the failure of the party's state leadership. "As a loyal and dedicated member of the party, I spoke the truth on why the Congress won only one parliamentary seat and lost in 20 seats it contested in alliance with the Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S). I will explain my views to the leadership soon," Baig told IANS here. The party's state unit, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC), on Wednesday suspended Baig after the All India Congress Committee (AICC) approved its recommendation for action against him on the basis of an enquiry into his anti-party activities. "Blaming the party's state leadership, especially Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Siddaramaiah and KPCC president Dinesh Gundu Rao, cannot be termed anti-party when they were responsible for the party's rout in the general election," said Baig. Baig, 67, a former Congress minister, is an eight-time legislator from the Shivajinagar Assembly segment in the heart of Bengaluru. Upset by Baig's open criticism of the party's state leadership, the KPCC on May 21 served notice on him, seeking explanation for his attack on AICC general secretary K.C. Venugopal, Siddaramaiah and Rao for the party's worst performance in the Lok Sabha elections in the southern state. "Pointing out that the party fared badly in the assembly segments (Badami and Gandhinagar) of the parliamentary seats (Bagalkot and Bangalore Central), represented by Siddaramaiah and Rao, cannot be construed as anti-party activity when the party took lead in my assembly seat (Shivajinagar). I was only stating the facts," reiterated Baig. The JD-S also won only one seat though it contested in 7, while the BJP bagged 25 of the 27 seats it contested and supported an Independent (Sumalatha Ambareesh) who wrested the Mandya seat from the JD-S. Commenting on the May 19 exit polls on May 20, that projected Congress performing poorly in the general elections, Baig lashed out at Venugopal, Siddaramaiah and Rao. "Venugopal is a buffoon. What does he know about the party in our state as he is from Kerala? Due to Siddaramaiah's arrogance, the party lost in the May 2018 Assembly elections and Rao's immaturity is responsible for the dismal state of affairs currently," Baig told reporters at his residence here. Baig also blamed party leaders in Mandya for the defeat of the allies' joint candidate Nikhil as they openly campaigned for Sumalatha and ensured her victory. "Why was no action taken against the party leaders in Mandya who campaigned for an Independent (Sumalatha), supported by the BJP? Is it not an anti-party activity?" asked Baig. Nikhil is the son of state Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy. Similarly, no action was taken against party leaders like former MLA Rajanna in Tumkur where JD-S supremo H.D. Deve Gowda lost as a joint candidate, as they did not actively campaign for him. "No notice or explanation was sought from the party leaders in Tumkur by the KPCC. Why target me only for speaking the truth?" asked Baig. Congress retained Bangalore Rural seat and JD-S Hassan seat.

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