Karnataka Congress leader accused in murder case tries to join BJP, latter says no

Politics

Vinay Kulkarni, who has been hoping to join the party, was detained for questioning on Thursday in the murder case of BJP leader Yogesh Gowda in Dharwad.

TNM Staff

Karnataka Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj, KS Eshwarappa, on Thursday said that the BJP “would never” accept former minister and Congress leader Vinay Kulkarni into its fold. “Let me be very clear. The BJP would never agree to bring Vinay Kulkarni into the party,” KS Eshwarappa told the media, while adding that Vinay Kulkarni had reached out to many BJP leaders, hoping to be inducted into the party. The statement came even as Vinay, a former Dharwad MLA, was taken in for questioning by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday morning. His name has been attached to BJP leader Yogesh Gowda’s murder since 2016. However, the CBI has so far not found evidence of his connection to the case, as per police sources.  Yogesh Gowda’s family had alleged in 2016 that he had received a letter the night before his murder. The letter allegedly said that Vinay Kulkarni had purportedly hatched a plot to kill him. Vinay Kulkarni has been the archrival to several BJP leaders including Hubballi-Dharwad Central legislator Jagadish Shettar and Union Minister Pralhad Joshi.  Read: CBI questions ex-Cong minister Vinay Kulkarni in connection with murder of BJP leader Since 2016, the BJP has been accusing Vinay Kulkarni of conspiring to murder Yogesh Gowda. On Thursday, the CBI detained Vinay Kulkarni and began questioning him in connection with the murder case. Earlier this year, the CBI had questioned the lead investigators in the case in 2016 and also former Home Minister Dr G Parameshwara in connection with the murder. When the agency filed a chargesheet in May this year, it had claimed that the murder was politically motivated.  “Vinay Kulkarni is being questioned in connection with Yogesh Gowda’s murder. If he is given a clean chit by the CBI, then good for him. But we will not allow him to join the BJP no matter how many times he asks,” KS Eshwarappa said on Thursday.  Eshwarappa’s statement comes in the backdrop of lobbying by several BJP leaders including CP Yogeeshwar, who wanted Kulkarni to join the BJP. In October this year, Vinay Kulkarni and CP Yogeeshwar had travelled to Rajasthan to meet several BJP leaders. Kulkarni had hoped to convince the leaders to allow him to join the party. He also attempted to meet BJP National General Secretary (Organisation), BL Santhosh, but was not given an appointment.  “He met many BJP leaders hoping to join the party but the national leaders were not convinced and rejected his proposal. The national leaders informed him that they would consider his proposal if the CBI clears his name in the probe,” a senior BJP leader said. 

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Relief for Congress leader KJ George: HC quashes DySP Ganapathy suicide case

Court

Earlier the CBI had filed a closure report in October 2019.

TNM Staff

File image

In a big relief to former Karnataka Minister KJ George of the Congress party and two IPS officers, the High Court on Wednesday quashed proceedings against them for their alleged role in the death of DySP (Deputy Superintendent) Ganapathy. The two IPS officers in question are then IGP (Inspector General of Police) Lokayukta Pronab Mohanty and AM Prasad, who was then ADGP (Additional Director General of Police) Intelligence. While the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had filed a closure report in the case in October 2019, the Special Court for Legislators and Parliamentarians in Bengaluru ordered a fresh probe in the case in August, 2020. Following that, George and the two IPS officers had approached the HC seeking relief based on the CBI’s findings in the case which concluded that the Ganapathy’s suicide was due to his mental agony and stress. Reacting to the order, the former minister tweeted, “I as a citizen always believe and have faith in our judiciary. Truth is powerful and will prevail! I thank every one of you who stood with me and my family during these difficult times. Your support means a lot for us.” Ganapathy was working as a DySP in Mangaluru and died by suicide on July 7, 2016 at Sree Vinayak Lodge in Madikeri. Prior to his death, Ganapathy had told TV channels that then Home Minister KJ George and two IPS officers were allegedly harassing him. The case was handed to the Criminal Investigation Department based on the family’s request and subsequently the CID had also closed the case citing lack of evidence. Following this, the case was transferred to the CBI after the family approached the Supreme Court for a fresh probe. However, even the CBI concluded that neither George nor the two IPS officers were in touch with Ganapathy in the days leading up to his death. The CBI further said that the death by suicide of his colleague DySP Kallappa Handibag on July 5, 2016, were also reasons for Ganapathy's death.

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Roshan Baig’s plea dismissed in disproportionate assets case, family to face trial

Court

The former Congress Minister had challenged the proceedings against him by a special court on allegations of disproportionate assets based on a complaint filed in 2012.

TNM Staff

The Karnataka High Court on Wednesday dismissed former Congress Minister Roshan Baig’s petition challenging the proceedings against him by a special court on allegations of disproportionate assets based on a complaint filed in 2012. Justice John Michael Cunha, who was hearing the petition filed by Roshan, his wife Sabiha Roshan and son Ruman Baig, contended that there were no restrictions on the special court to take cognisance of the offences Roshan Baig has been accused of. After investigation, the Lokayukta police had earlier filed a B report (cancellation report) in January 2014 in the case, but the special court rejected this. The High Court order on Wednesday stated that the magistrate is not bound by the B report filed in 2014. The special court investigating the case had found Rs 56.71 lakh worth of disproportionate assets held by Roshan Baig and his family members. This contradicted the B report filed in 2014, which stated that the disproportionate assets held by Roshan Baig and his family was only around 10% in excess of the income from known sources. “As already discussed above, the magistrate is not bound by the opinion of the Investigating Officer. Since the Investigating Officer has failed to apply the correct principles of law to the facts of the case, the learned Special Judge was justified in rejecting the ‘B’ summary report and therefore, I do not find any merit or substance in the argument canvassed by learned senior counsel for the petitioners,” the order stated. The High Court also held that prior sanction for prosecution was not necessary against Roshan since he is no longer a public servant and ceased to hold the office he had at the time of committing the offence. Roshan Baig, a long-time Congress leader, was the MLA of the Shivajinagar constituency from 2008 to 2019. He left the Congress in 2019 around the time the BJP came to power in the state. However, unlike other Congress leaders who were inducted into the BJP, Roshan was not given a ticket to contest in the bye-elections leaving him in a fix. He was also questioned by the Special Investigation Team probing the IMA scam last year.

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Karnataka BJP leaders want to criminalise 'love jihad', not everyone's on board yet

Politics

The issue was briefly discussed by several BJP leaders on Tuesday and Wednesday and they are divided on the issue of criminalising conversions "for the sake of marriage".

Theja Ram

Former Karnataka Minister for Tourism and Kannada and Culture and BJP National general Secretary CT Ravi on Wednesday issued a statement that the state government too would bring in a law criminalising "love jihad". CT Ravi, in a tweet, had said, "On lines of Allahabad High Court's order, Karnataka will enact a law banning religious conversions for the sake of marriage. We will not remain silent when jihadis strip the dignity of our sisters. Any one involved in the act of conversion shall face severe and swift punishment."  On November 1, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adithyanath had said that his government would bring in a legislation that criminalises "religious conversion for the sake of marriage" and Karnataka wants to follow suit. Speaking to TNM, Minister CT Ravi said that the Karnataka government had "serious discussions" regarding criminalising religious conversions "for the sake of marriage" and that he had taken up the issue with his former cabinet colleagues. "I am initiating this discussion. We were elected not just to finish our term. What is the purpose of being in power? What are the goals of our government? I have asked several leaders as to why we should not punish forceful conversions for the sake of marriage? Love jihad is happening in so many parts of our state. Just coming to power is not enough, we must also think about the larger purpose here," CT Ravi said.  One of the Chief Minister's advisors that TNM spoke to said that the issue was briefly discussed by several BJP leaders on Tuesday and Wednesday and that the leaders are divided on the issue of criminalising conversions "for the sake of marriage". The source said that several ministers including the Chief Minister advised on waiting to see how the issue takes shape in Uttar Pradesh and Haryana.  "Leaders like CT Ravi and others from the coastal region were strongly in support of this. They argued that in regions like Shivamogga, Chikkamagaluru, Chamarajanagar, Kodagu, Mysuru and the coastal belt, women were being forced to convert to Islam as they got married to Muslim men. But other leaders argued that it had not been conclusively proved," the source added.  Sources in the Chief Minister's Office said that the issue would not be on the government's "top priority" as CM BS Yediyurappa is focused on reconstruction and rehabilitation works after the floods that ravaged northern Karnataka. "There is also the COVID-19 situation that needs attention. Yediyurappa is of the opinion that Karnataka should wait to see whether other states pass a legislation and then debate the merits of it," a CMO source said.  It is important to note that no term called ‘love jihad’ is defined in current Indian laws, it remains to be a theory perpetuated by right-wing groups in India. During the Parliamentary session in the Lok Sabha in February 2020, Minister of State for Home Affairs G Kishan Reddy pointed this out and had even acknowledged that no case of ‘love jihad’ has been reported by any of the central agencies. “Article 25 of the Constitution provides the freedom to profess, practice and propagate religion subject to public order, morality and health. Various courts have upheld this view, including the Kerala High Court,” he said in his reply at the session. What Yogi Adityanath and the HC said "The Allahabad high court has said that for marriages, changing religion isn’t necessary. The government too has decided to check ‘love jihad’ with all its might. An effective law would be made that would ensure that those who cheat gullible women by hiding their identity would be effectively dealt with," Yogi Adithyanath had said. Following in UP's footsteps, Haryana too announced that such a legislation would be brought in the state.  The Allahabad High Court was hearing a petition filed by a couple, who sought police protection, stating a threat from the woman's family as she had converted to Islam after marrying the man she was in love with. While dismissing the petition, the High Court noted, "This Court notices that the first petitioner, Pooja alias Zoya has forsaken her native religion which is Hindusim and converted to Islam in order to marry Shavez s/o Sajid. Though, under the Constitution, a citizen has the right to profess practise or propagate the religion of his / her choice but it is disconcerting that in matrimonial matters one party should change his / her faith to the other's just for the sake of matrimony and nothing more."

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Leopard attacks and kills 24-year-old temple cook in Karnataka, search on for big cat

Human-Animal Conflict

The body of the Huligesh was found near a cave in Anegundi.

TNM Staff

A 24-year-old temple cook was attacked and dismembered by a leopard in Karnataka’s Koppal district on Wednesday night. The Forest Department officials told TNM that it was not the same leopard, which had previously attacked and injured two people in Koppal. Huligesh Doddeerappa, a 23-year-old cook and resident of Anegundi, also worked at a cow shed in the village. Huligesh had worked as the cook at the Adishakti Temple in the village for several years and had recently taken up the job at the cow shed, tending to the cows.  On Wednesday night, Huligesh was to return home after locking up the cow shed but did not make it back home. His family members, who were worried for his safety, approached the Koppal Rural Police. This is the second attack by a leopard in the last one month in Anegundi. Since the residents of Anegundi had reported leopard sightings in agricultural fields, the police suspected such an attack could have occurred on Huligesh.  A search party was organised including police officers, forest department officials and locals. In the early hours of Thursday, Huligesh’s dismembered body was found outside a cave located in the Anegundi Hill.  Koppal Rural Police Station’s sub-inspector Doddappa told TNM that the leopard could have attacked  him when he went to answer nature’s call. “We haven’t found any evidence to indicate that the leopard attacked him in the cow shed. Huligesh and many people in the village attend nature's call near the foot of the hill. The leopard could have attacked him there,” SI Doddappa said.  Huligesh’s left limb is missing. The leopard has eaten parts of his torso, face and arms. His dismembered body was found lying near the cave, while his head was found near a pile of stones nearby.  On October 16, a group of tourists from Hyderabad were attacked by a leopard in Anegundi. The leopard had attacked a 65-year-old woman and a teenage boy from Hyderabad. Both were severely injured and have recovered since the attack. The leopard responsible for the attack was captured and culled, Forest Department officials said. On October 28, residents of Anegundi reported to the Forest Department that a leopard had walked into agricultural fields. “It must be the same leopard that had walked into the farmers’ land. We are searching for the leopard and expect to capture it soon,” the forest department official said. 

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11 held for murder of Tulu actor, man lodged in Bengaluru prison allegedly planned it

Crime

Actor and rowdy-sheeter Surendra Bhandari's murder was linked to the brazen murder of businessman and rowdy-sheeter Kishan Hegde in Udupi, and to underworld criminal fugitive Vicky Shetty.

Prajwal Bhat

The Dakshina Kannada police arrested two more people on Wednesday in connection with the murder of Tulu actor Surendra Bhandari. There have been 11 arrests in the case so far. The arrested are Prateek from Belthangady, and Jayesh from Mangaluru. According to the investigating police, the duo had allegedly received Rs 2.5 lakh to harbour and assist Satish Kullal and Girish, who are the main accused persons in the murder case. They allegedly arranged vehicles for Satish and Girish, who were caught by CCTV cameras around the scene of the crime.  According to police sources, the murder was planned by the criminal Akash Bhavan Sharan, who was lodged in Parappana Agrahara prison after he was accused of offences including the sexual assault of a minor, murders and extortion. He was shifted to Parappana Agrahara after he was arrested under the sections of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act for allegedly sexually assaulting a minor in Manipal in 2019.  Police investigating Akash's involvement in Surendra's murder found that he was using an international number to orchestrate Surendra's murder from prison. Akash is allegedly an operative of underworld fugitive Vijay Shetty, alias Vicky Shetty. Although, police sources said that during the course of the investigation into Surendra's murder, Akash distanced himself from Vicky Shetty, citing a fall out from five months ago. Surendra Bhandari, a popular Tulu actor and a rowdy-sheeter, was fatally stabbed in his apartment on October 21. The crime was soon linked to another brazen murder of businessman and rowdy-sheeter Kishan Hegde. Kishan was followed and murdered in public view by gangs of men led by Manoj Kodikere, his business rival, in Udupi's Hiriadka on September 24.  A month after Surendra’s death in Bantwal of Dakshina Kannada district, an audio clip was released to the media, claiming that Surendra’s murder was in retaliation to Kishan Hegde’s killing.  The audio clip was purportedly from Sathish Kullal, a long-time associate of Surendra. It claimed responsibility for the murder and stated that it was in retaliation to Surendra allegedly giving support for Kishan's murder. This claim is denied by close friends of Surendra, who maintained that he and Kishan "ran in completely different circles." Satish was arrested along with Girish by Dakshina Kannada police last week. Girish is a tattoo artist from Yelinje near Kinnigoli, and a close friend of Kishan Hegde. Police said that he attacked Surendra after he was told that the actor supported Kishan's murder. Investigating police said that it was Akash who told Girish that they are avenging Kishan's murder by attacking Surendra.  Bengaluru police are also investigating the murder of bar owner Manish Shetty in central Bengaluru, for a possible link to Kishan Hegde's murder. Another purported audio leaked to two media houses - TV9 and Daijiworld - of underworld fugitive Vicky Shetty claimed responsibility for the murder and said that it was in retaliation to Kishan's murder in Udupi. 

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Bengaluru sees 1,953 new COVID-19 cases, active cases at 18,806

Coronavirus

People between the ages of 20 and 29 saw the most cases on Wednesday, closely followed by those between 30-39.

TNM Staff

Bengaluru reported 1,953 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, along with 5,827 recoveries and 16 deaths. The number of containment zones in the city continues to stand at 18, as per the bulletin of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP_. There are presently 18,806 active cases in the city. Cumulatively, Bengaluru has seen 3,43,507 COVID-19 cases, of which 3,20,783 have recovered and 3,918 have been recorded. People between the ages of 20 and 29 saw the most cases on Wednesday, closely followed by those between 30-39.  With 3,377 fresh coronavirus cases and 34 deaths, Karnataka's COVID-19 tally and cumulative fatalities reached 8,35,773 and 11,281 respectively on Wednesday. The total infections comprise 7,88,780 discharges cumulatively including 8,045 on Wednesday and 35,693 total active cases including 928 in the ICU, a department bulletin said. According to the health bulletin, 172 fresh COVID infections were reported in Hassan, 168 in Mysuru, 95 in Tumakuru, 93 in Mandya, 92 in Bengaluru Rural, 75 in Kolar, 70 in Dakshina Kannada, 66 in Ballari, 58 in Uttara Kannada, 52 in Chitradurga and 50 in Udupi. Bagalkote, Belagavi, Bidar, Chamarajanagar, Chikkaballapura, Chikkamagaluru, Davangere, Dharwad, Gadag, Haveri, Kalaburagi, Kodagu, Koppal, Raichur, Ramanagara and Vijayapura were among the districts where the infections were reported. The department said three deaths due to COVID-19 were recorded in Ballari and Mysuru and two deaths each in Davangere, Dharwad, Ramanagara. One death each was reported in Dakshina Kannada, Hassan, Haveri, Kalaburagi and Udupi. Most of those who died of coronavirus were above 50 years. There were as many as 1,02,503 tests done including 75,045 using the RT-PCR and other methods taking the total tests done to 82.88 lakh, the department added. With inputs from PTI

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