RR Nagar bye-polls: BJP’s Munirathna Naidu emerges victorious with huge margin

RR Nagar Bye-polls

Munirathna won amid allegations of cash for votes, intimidation and doling out freebies.

TNM Staff

BJP candidate from Raja Rajeshwari Nagar, Munirathna Naidu won the bye-elections. He won by a huge margin of 57,936 votes. Up against political novice, Kusuma H, wife of deceased IAS officer DK Ravi, the Congress candidate had emerged as a powerful candidate during the election campaign. Kusuma has managed to make inroads into Munirathna’s stronghold, which has the Congress hopeful of her chances of victory in the next Assembly elections. "This constituency should be developed. You have trusted me implicitly and voted for me. I promise not to break your trust. Its our govt in power now. I will work for the development of this segment 24x7 and even beyond my capacity to repay my gratitude for voters.  I can say one thing for the Congress candidate. Please speak the truth. I have never said anything derogatory against her. I have never called her  "munde" (a derogatory reference to a widow). I respect women and today the voters have shown they don't believe lies," Munirathna Naidu told the media after the victory.  ರಾಜರಾಜೇಶ್ವರಿನಗರ ವಿಧಾನಸಭಾ ಕ್ಷೇತ್ರದ ಉಪಚುನಾವಣೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಜಯಗಳಿಸಿದ ನಮ್ಮ ಪಕ್ಷದ ಶ್ರೀ @MunirathnaMLA ಅವರಿಗೆ ಅಭಿನಂದನೆಗಳು.#RRNagarBypolls pic.twitter.com/2qzbf669Zq — BJP Karnataka (@BJP4Karnataka) November 10, 2020 The JD(S) fielded Krishnamurthy V, who former CM HD Kumaraswamy had called a "loyal party worker". The JD(S) never had a good presence in the segment. This time around too, the Krishnamurthy V received a negligible number of votes. Nikhil Kumraswamy and his father HD Kumaraswamy had campaigned for Krishnamurthy, who contested from the segment for the first time. His lack of popularity and the JD(S) scant presence in the segment led to his defeat as well. Bye-polls were held in RR Nagar after Munirathna, along with 16 other Congress and JD(S) legislators, resigned from their post and helped bring down the coalition government in 2019. Bye-elections were not held in RR Nagar in December 2019, when the 16 other segments went to polls as Munirathna was caught up in litigation. The former BJP candidate from the constituency had moved the Supreme Court alleging voter fraud by Munirathna in the 2018 Assembly Elections. He was given a clean chit earlier in October, after which the BJP announced his candidacy from the segment.  The campaign in RR Nagar too was shrouded in controversy. The BJP candidate had distributed the “Munirathna set top boxes” to voters. Continuous advertisements were run on TV for those who had these set top boxes.  The Congress had accused Munirathna of distributing cash to voters and also giving freebies. The party had also complained to the EC, alleging that Munirathna’s spending for the election had exceeded the limit set. Munirathna Naidu, a film producer, entered politics and made RR Nagar his fiefdom with the help of former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. He had once identified himself as a loyalist of Siddaramaiah. After he defected from the Congress, both Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar accused him of using intimidation tactics to win elections. Allegations of cash for votes, freebies and intimidation were aplenty and yet Munirathna managed to win the bye-election and retain hold of his fortress. 

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Nearly 50% of Karnataka’s population may have had COVID-19 by August

Coronavirus

The sero-survey by IDFC Institute suggests COVID-19 has affected rural areas as severely as urban places.

TNM Staff

Image for representation/PTI

Nearly half of Karnataka’s population may have been exposed to the SARS-CoV-2 virus by the end of August, according to a serosurveillance study carried out by IDFC Institute. The study that was carried out between June 15 and August 29 revealed that the adjusted seroprevalence across Karnataka was 46.7%.  “Adjusted seroprevalence across Karnataka implies, based on government mid-year 2020 population estimates, that approximately 31.5 million (3.15 crore) residents have been infected, 96.4 times the 327,076 publicly reported cases as of August 29, 2020,” states the pre-print research paper that is yet to be peer reviewed.  The study tested for both COVID-19 antibodies as well as current infections using the RT-PCR tests. The samples were drawn from 9717 households from 20 out of the 30 districts in Karnataka. “Our data shows high levels of active infections and transmission, especially in urban areas of Mysuru and coastal districts during our study period-where 9.7% to 10.5% of individuals tested positive for current infection,” said Anup Malani of the University of Chicago who was part of the study.  One of the key findings of the survey was that COVID-19 has affected rural areas as severely as urban places. As per the study, 44.1% of the rural population was exposed to the coronavirus while 53.8% in urban areas may have had COVID-19. The study attributes the migration of workers from cities to villages following the March lockdown as one reason for the spread to rural areas. Another factor it says was that rural areas saw fewer restrictions with regards to mobility as agricultural activity was considered an essential sector.  The study concludes with key recommendations including “frequent testing in exchange for permitting productive economic activity in the state.” It also advises against a total relaxation that could lead to a spike in infections. “Therefore, as the government considers relaxing restrictions on economic activity, it is critical to continue efforts to promote mask wearing, hand washing, and communicating the significance of COVID complications to individuals who are at risk,” it states.  The latest study comes on the back of a sero-survey carried out by the government, which estimated that 27.3% or 1.93 crore people in Karnataka had been exposed to the coronavirus as of September 16. This study was in fact conducted between September 3 to 16 across 30 districts in the state and had drawn samples from over 16,500 persons.  

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Bengaluru property management couple accused of cheating tenants lakhs of rupees

Crime

A list compiled by aggrieved tenants show that there are as many as 39 people who are owed a range of amounts between Rs 8 lakh and Rs 36.6 lakh.

Prajwal Bhat

Manohar and Sheetal

In 2018, Nancy S, 35, a software engineer in Bengaluru, decided to lease a house in Horamavu. She deposited Rs 36.6 lakh with Manohar Nenavat, who she met through an online marketplace. Two years later in October 2020, Nancy wanted to leave her leased house and buy her own flat but she found that it was becoming increasingly harder to contact Manohar who was avoiding her calls. On October 6, on a hunch, Nancy drove to Manohar's house in Banaswadi in the city only to find it locked and the household items in the house moved out. What Nancy did not know at the time was that she was not alone. There were more than 30 people like Nancy facing issues with their rent and the common link between them was Manohar and his wife Sheetal Nenavat, who worked as property managers in Bengaluru. When Nancy shared her story and urged others to come forward with theirs, she found a number of Bengaluru residents living in properties managed by Manohar who were facing serious trouble. She filed a complaint at the Banaswadi police station and an FIR was registered in the case on October 7 under sections 406 (breach of trust) and 420 (cheating) of the Indian Penal Code. The police have since arrested Ranjan Devamuni, an associate of Manohar and Sheetal, but the couple remain at large.  "Ranjan, who used to work with Manohar and Sheetal, has been arrested. The couple are absconding since October 6 and we are trying to track them. More than 30 people have come forward with complaints about them," says Jayaraj, the police inspector at Banaswadi police station.  A list compiled by aggrieved tenants show that there are as many as 39 people who are allegedly owed a range of amounts between Rs 8 lakh and Rs 36.6 lakh for leasing properties across Bengaluru which were managed by Sheetal and Manohar. Another complainant, Sanjay, 33, a software engineer in Bengaluru too alleges he was cheated by Manohar. At the start of October, Sanjay was surprised to find that the owner of his house was asking him for his monthly rent when in fact he had already paid it to Manohar when he bought the lease to the house. "The issues with my rent have been going on for a while with the owner telling me that there were delays in receiving the rent payment even though I have paid promptly," says Sanjay.  Sanjay too had met Manohar through an online marketplace and had paid rent amount to Manohar, which was not paid to the property owner.  How Manohar and Sheetal worked Manohar and Sheetal Nenavat, a Bengaluru-based couple have been managing properties for at least five years now. When interested tenants followed up advertisements placed on online marketplaces like Quickr, Magicbricks and OLX, they would connect with Ranjan who would then introduce Manohar and Sheetal as property owners. Many tenants paid the couple believing they are the owners of the property when in fact they weren't and they only had an understanding with the owners. In some cases, tenants figured out that the property was actually owned by other people and Manohar and Sheetal were simply property managers. Some of these tenants raised questions but they were assured that the owner knew about the working relationship and even produced letters of consent from the owner to a few tenants. "Few of us even paid money to Manohar and Sheetal in the presence of the property owners. It was not as if all owners did not have an idea that their property was being used this way," says Sanjay speaking to TNM. Little is known about Manohar and Sheetal but tenants said that Manohar hails from Andhra Pradesh and Sheetal is from Belagavi. They were settled in Bengaluru for over 8 years and have two children. They sub-leased properties and projected themselves as real estate managers and property owners to unsuspecting customers. They had a wide network of tenants living in properties managed by them across Bengaluru. This network was built over the last five years. Now, with Manohar and Sheetal absconding, tenants are facing eviction from their house since their property owners are demanding rent. Nancy has now formed a coalition of the tenants cheated by the couple and they are planning to file more cases against them for their actions.

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Sira bye-poll: Congress candidate TB Jayachandra tests positive for coronavirus

Health

The results of the bye-poll in Sira in Tumakuru district, along with Rajarajeshwari Nagar in Bengaluru city, will be declared on Tuesday.

TNM Staff

Former Minister and Congress candidate for the bye-polls in Sira constituency T B Jayachandra on Monday said he has tested positive for coronavirus and has been hospitalised. The results of the bye-poll in Sira in Tumakuru district, along with Rajarajeshwari Nagar in Bengaluru city, will be declared on Tuesday. "My wife was tested COVID positive, so I also underwent a test and the report has confirmed that I'm too, positive. So it will be difficult for me to attend the counting tomorrow," Jayachandra said in a video message on his twitter handle. He also requested his supporters to attend the counting process in his absence and expressed confidence about victory. Jayachandra has been admitted to a private hospital in the city. The bye-election had been necessitated in Sira following the death of JD(S) legislator B Sathyanarayana in August. Jayachandra (71) was pitted against BJP's Dr C M Rajesh Gowda, a radiologist and the son of former Congress MP, C P Mudalagiriyappa, and JD(S)' Ammajamma, who is the wife of late MLA Sathyanarayana in the voting that took place on November 3. Jayachandra was Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs and Minor Irrigation in the previous Siddaramaiah-led Congress government and had lost from Sira in the 2018 Assembly election against Sathyanarayana. Meanwhile in RR Nagar, Congress fielded H Kusuma while the BJP fielded Muniratna who defected from the Congress in 2019.   

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Bengaluru reports 978 COVID-19 cases on November 9

Coronavirus

Bengaluru also reported 959 recoveries on Monday.

TNM Staff

PTI photo

Bengaluru reported 978 COVID-19 cases on Monday and 959 recoveries. Meanwhile, Karnataka reported 1,963 new COVID-19 cases, and 19 related fatalities, taking the total number of infections to 8,48,850 and the toll to 11,410, the health department said on Monday. The day also saw 2,686 patients getting discharged after recovery. While Yelahanka and west zone in Bengaluru reported the highest number of coronavirus patients on Monday (16% each), in the last one day, Mahadevapura has reported a majority of the cases at 17%. It is followed by south zone (16%), Bomannhalli and west zone (14% each), Yelahanka and south zone (10% each), RR Nagara (9%) and Dasarahalli (4%). In the state, Bengaluru urban district topped the number of new cases, followed by Mysuru (95), Bengaluru rural (93), Mandya (73), Chitradurga (69), Tumakuru (65), Chikkaballapura (56), while the rest were scattered in other districts. Five out of total 19 deaths reported on Monday were from Bengaluru urban, followed by Ballari (3), Dakshina Kannada and Dharwad (2), and Bengaluru rural, Chikkaballapura, Chitradurga, Kolar, Mandya, Raichur and Tumakuru (1). As of November 9 evening, cumulatively 8,48,850 COVID-19 positive cases have been confirmed in the state, which includes 11,410 deaths and 8,04,485 discharges, the health department said in its bulletin. Of the 32,936 active cases, 32,060 patients were in isolation at designated hospitals and are stable, while 876 are in Intensive Care Units. Most of the deceased either had a history of Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI) or Influenza-like illness (ILI). Bengaluru urban district also was on top in the total number of positive cases, with 3,50,305 infections, followed by Mysuru at 48,850 and Ballari at 37,710. Among recoveries too, Bengaluru urban was on top with total of 3,27,948 discharges, followed by Mysuru 46,807 and Ballari 36,581, the bulletin said. Over 88,23,191 samples have been tested so far, out of which 84,965 were on Monday alone, and 15,457 among them were rapid antigen tests.

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Pre-wedding shoot in river in Mysuru turns tragic, couple drowns

Death

Fire and emergency personnel searched for the bodies of the couple and retrieved them on Monday.

TNM Staff

A pre-wedding photoshoot in Mysuru ended in disaster after the couple drowned in the Cauvery River at Talkad when their coracle in which they were posing capsized on Monday. Chandru 28, and Shashikala, 20 were set to get married on November 22. Two weeks before their marriage, they visited Talkad along with a group of their relatives from Kyathmaranhalli in Mysuru. The Hindu reported that the couple first approached a resort near Talkad and asked them to give a boat for them to ride. When the managers at the resort said that the boats were only for guests of the resort, the group found a coracle and used it to go across the river.  After the group crossed the river, the couple decided to go on a short ride in the coracle while their relatives shot photographs. They had travelled around 10-15 metres when the groom stood causing the coracle to capsize. The couple did not know how to swim and drowned while the paddler managed to swim to safety, Deccan Herald reported. Fire and emergency personnel searched for the bodies of the couple and retrieved them on Monday. Last week, police officials in neighbouring Chamarajanagar district warned tourists against taking coracle rides in the Cauvery River. The district police erected signboards warning tourists and coracle owners that they will face action. Previously, several people have died due to coracle-related mishaps at Hogenakkal falls. Earlier this year, a techie from Bengaluru died after a coracle ride in Kalkere lake turned fatal for him. Sachin Machaiah, a resident of Electronics City, decided to go on a coracle ride in the middle of the night but when he was at the centre of the lake, the oars slipped from his hand. He died as he could not swim and his body was retrieved from the lake days later. 

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In Bengaluru, ponzi scheme victims are still waiting for their money to be returned

Crime

The IMA scam case alone has around 80,000 victims, including those outside the state, who are waiting for their money to be recovered and given back to them.

TNM Staff

Victims of multiple ‘halal’ ponzi schemes in Bengaluru have alleged that the Karnataka government is not taking any steps to recover money from the accused and return it to the victims. The ponzi schemes include the high-profile IMA Jewels case, the Ambidant case, as well as the Injaz, Muzaribah, Aala, Burraq, Morgenall and Nafiya cases, among others, in which more than 20,000 victims, excluding those of IMA, have lost their money. The IMA scam case, on its own, has around 80,000 victims, including those outside the state. Notably, the IMA scam is being probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation and a chargesheet has been filed against two IPS officers, among various other government officials. In other cases too, there have been chargesheet filed but none of the victims have been paid back, as per the Karnataka Protection of Interest of Depositors Act. All these ponzi schemes targeted Muslims as fixed bank interest rates are considered as “haram” (forbidden), these companies sold their plans as a form of partnerships, with the promise of higher returns. Accordingly, the companies lured customers to invest their life savings by staying true to the offer for the first few installments. Under the KPID Act, the state governments have to appoint a competent authority to identify the victims who will be compensated by selling the properties recovered from the accused. The victims allege even if the competent authorities (usually Assistant Commissioners of Revenue Department) are appointed, they have not been given any money to hire chartered accountants and other staff to undertake the process of issuing claim forms, going through the claims filed by the victims, or verifying if the seized properties of the accused can be sold to pay back the victims. MJ Mohiuddin, who had invested in three of these companies including IMA, said, “The government system is not working for us. There has been a delay for more than a year. The cases have gone to the courts as early as 2018, but there has been not much progress on our claims. Many of the depositors have died. Even if the competent authorities are appointed, they are not given any money to cover their expenses required for probing the case. They have not been given any money to hire necessary manpower.” Mohiuddin added that Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa had promised to help these ponzi scheme victims ahead of the 2018 elections, but nothing has been done from the government’s side. He pointed out that in the IMA case, the government has seized property worth only 400 crores, while the depositors had invested more than Rs 1,000 crores. Narendra Kumar, an activist and State Joint Secretary of LanchaMukta Karnataka, an organisation which is helping many victims in these cases, said, “There are around 20 such ponzi schemes where the victims have not been told whether they will get their lost money back. It has been more than a year to 20 months since the cases went to court. For many cases like Ajmeera and Ambidant, the victims had filed claim forms as directed by the courts more than one and a half years ago. But none of the claims have been verified, nor have they determined if the seized properties can be sold or not to recover the claims.” Narendra said that according to the KPID Act, the properties should be made absolute within a year’s time. He alleged that due to lack of adequate manpower, the competent authorities failed to comply with the court proceedings and are seeking time, which benefits the accused. Narendra had also approached the Karnataka High Court seeking speedy process of claims of all these ponzi scheme cases.

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