parmesh jain

“Suspended DC,BM Vijayshankar and AC,LC Nagaraj lodged in prison”.
In a major development the Special Investigative team (SIT) headed by DIG,DR.BR.Ravikanthe Gowda under the supervision of DCP Crime,Girish S with his 11 Member team probing the multi-crore I Monetary Advisory (IMA) Ponzi scheme scam in Bengaluru has arrested a Moulvi for accepting gifts from the prime accused Mansoor khan in Propagating IMA Ponzi Scam scheme with this the team has arrested two more persons for illegally taking possession of a property that belonged to IMA founder owner Mohammad Mansoor Khan  in connection with about Rs.15,000 Crore scam that has duped over 40,000 people of their money.
During the course of investigation, inspector Shekhar received an alert stating that some people have forged the documents of a building belonging to the absconding Khan and have taken possession of the property.
After further verification, the SIT sleuths found concrete evidence towards the accusations leading to the arrest of Babu and Muneer, who is a rowdy-sheeter in Tilaknagar and Basavanagudi police station in Bengaluru.
The three accused has been identified as,Haneef Afsar Azeezi,who works as a priest at Masjid-e-Beparian in Shivajinagar,Muneer Alias Gun Muneer a rowdy sheeter and Brigade Babu.
The accused Brigade Babu and Muneer alias Gun Muneer have allegedly forged the property documents and have illegally taken possession of a building belonging to IMA in Richmond Road in Bengaluru.
The biggest Multi-Crore Fraud case which is being probe by the SIT team after verifying the documents seized in their 27 days of search operation the team has got a hint of some person has forged Richmond road property documents belonging to IMA and has taken a possession illegally based on the information inspector Shekar collected all the details about the property of Richmond road and it was found that some person has forged the documents and has taken the possession illegally based on which a team of officers raided the building and arrested duo and during interrogation the accused confessed the crime and spilled the beans that they have forged the property documents and have taken the possession illegally a case has been registered in Ashoknagar police Station and the property has been recovered and seized from the accused and further investigation is on.With this the team has even recovered Rs.2.5 Crore rupees cash from the suspended Bengaluru Urban Deputy Commissioner,DC,and a Rs.1.5 Crore worth Demand Draft from Adoni Constructions.
The SIT team had arrested Bengaluru Urban Deputy commissioner (DC) BM Vijayshankar for accepting a bribe of Rs 1.5 crore from Khan in order to issue a clearance certificate to the IMA Group.After arresting the Bengaluru urban DC,the SIT sleuths produced him to the court and took him into police custody for further investigation.During the investigation,Vijayshankar confessed that he had paid the amount to a builder for purchasing a flat based on his statement the investigating team has successfully recovered Rs.1.5 crore from the builder.Meanwhile,the SIT officials found that Vijayshankar had accepted a bribe of Rs.1 Crore as a bribe from an unidentified person that amount has also been recovered.A separate case has been registered against him in the Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) and further investigation is on. 
The SIT officials have also recovered a demand draft of Rs.1.5 Crore that was issued by Mohammed Mansoor Khan to a construction company as Adoni constructions to build a flyover in Bengaluru has also been recovered from Adoni Constructions by the SIT sleuths.
Meanwhile as on July 11th based on credible inputs the SIT team has arrested a maulvi on charge of Propagating people to invest in the IMA ponzi scheme.The arrested, Haneef Afsar Azeezi who worked as a priest at Masjid-e-Beparian in Shivajinagar is alleged to have influenced several people by Propagating them to invest in IMA in the name of Halal.For this the absconded prime accused IMA founder Mohammed Mansoor Khan has gifted the Moulvi a three storied building in HRBR layout in the year 2017,worth of Rs.3 Crores has also been seized and the  moulvi who was arrested on thursday July 11th,for encouraging Muslims to invest in IMA, has also been remanded in police custody till July 18 and further investigation is on.
On July 6th,the investigating team had arrested Bengaluru North Assistant Commissioner LC Nagaraj and the village accountant,Manjunath,for allegedly taking a bribe of about Rs.4.5 Crore from IMA’s founder Mohammed Mansoor Khan. Nagaraj was reportedly looking into the company after Reserve Bank of India highlighted irregularities.
Nagaraj had issued a public notice against IMA in March this year,However,without probing the irregularities,a clearance certificate was given to RBI allegedly stating that no complaints were received against IMA.Shankar signed off on the clearance certificate.Nagaraj had taken Rs 4.5 crore bribe from Mansoor Khan and 1.5 Crore was given to Shankar.
The Enforcement Directorate,which is also looking into the case,on June 28,issued a notice to Karnataka Minister, BZ Zameer Ahmed Khan to appear before it.The agency also questioned Khan as he had sold his property to the IMA founder.
The Enforcement Directorate had recently lodged a criminal case of money laundering against the IMA Group of Companies and its promoter and managing director Mohammed Mansoor Khan.He has been accused of running a ponzi scheme in Karnataka that has allegedly duped more than 40,000 people of about Rs 15,000 crore.People from Bengaluru,Kolar,Hubli,Mysuru,Hyderabad, New Delhi, and Tamil Nadu are said to have invested into the company.
A nominated corporator Syed Mujahid and a Bangalore Development Authority officer identified as Kumar with 13 accused who are 12 directors and Auditor Iqbal khan of I Monetary Advisory,IMA were earlier arrested in connection with the fraud. 
The Enforcement Directorate (ED), which is probing the case simultaneously, had recently questioned Karnataka minority welfare minister BZ Zameer Ahmed Khan as he had sold his property in the city to Mansoor Khan.
The ED which has registered a money laundering case in the scam in which thousands of depositors are said to have been duped, had attached assets worth Rs 209 crore,including 20 immovable properties and bank deposits, in connection with the case.
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the alleged IMA group ponzi scam, served a notice to Congress MLA Roshan Baig last week as on tuesday 10th July, asking him to appear before it on Thursday 12th July.
This comes hours after the Shivajinagar MLA resigned from the assembly. The lawmaker was earlier suspended from the Congress for his alleged anti-party activities.
Meanwhile the suspended Bengaluru Urban DC,Senior IAS officer,moves High Court,seeks CBI probe in IMA case:
Deputy Commissioner of Bengaluru District (Urban) B.M.Vijayshankar, who was arrested by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) for allegedly taking a bribe of Rs.1.5 Crore for sending a favourable report about I Monetary Advisory (IMA) Group, moved the High Court of Karnataka on Tuesday seeking a CBI probe.
The Karnataka High Court on Thursday ordered issue of notices to the Union and State governments, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Serious Fraud Investigation Organisation (SFIO) and others on a petition by B.M. Vijayshankar, suspended IAS officer, seeking a probe by the CBI into the criminal case registered against M/s I Monetary Advisory (IMA) Group of Companies.
Justice P.S. Dinesh Kumar also ordered issue of notice to the Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted by the State government to probe the case against the IMA Group.
The petitioner was arrested by the SIT on the allegation of taking a bribe of Rs.1.5 crore for submitting a ‘favourable’ report about the IMA Group when he was the deputy commissioner of Bengaluru Urban district and a competent authority under the Karnataka Protection of Interest of Depositors in Financial Establishments Act, 2004 for the district.
Earlier, Senior Counsel V. Lakshminarayana, appearing for Mr. Vijayshankar, contended that the government could not have constituted an SIT for probing the case against the IMA Group in view of the promulgation of the Banning of Unregulated Deposit Schemes (BUDS) Ordinance 2019 by the President of India on February 21, 2019.
It was claimed in his petition that the State government had no jurisdiction to set up the SIT to probe the FIR registered against IMA in view of the promulgation of the Banning of Unregulated Deposit Schemes (BUDS) Ordinance 2019 by the President of India on February 21, 2019. The petition is yet to come up for hearing.
It was also contended that the probe on the FIR should be transferred to the CBI in view of Section 29 and 30 of the BUDS Ordinance, 2019, as the provisions indicate that the police officer on recording information of commission of offence under the Ordinance should inform the competent authority. On receipt of information, the authority will have to refer the matter to the Centre to order a CBI probe when the amount involved is of such a magnitude that significantly affects public interest.
Mr. Vijayshankar claimed that he had merely forwarded a report on IMA received from a Deputy Inspector General of Police CID. He also sought direction to the Serious Fraud Investigation Office to probe the IMA case.
The BJP has also demanded a CBI inquiry into the case.The ED had filed the money laundering case against the IMA group of companies and Mohammed Mansoor Khan after reports emerged that he has gone underground fearing investments worth crores of about 40,000 investors have tanked.
Bengaluru Urban Deputy Commissioner,BM Vijayshankar and the Bengaluru North Assistant Commissioner, LC Nagaraj,who was arrested earlier in the case, have been remanded in judicial custody till July 25.

Pramesh Jain

The Special Investigation team (SIT) probing the Multi-Crore Fraud IMA Jewels Ponzi Scam case on Monday detained senior Rebel Congress leader and legislator from Shivajinagar, R.Roshan Baig from Kempegowda International Airport for his alleged role in the scam, adding to the ongoing political drama in Karnataka.
Soon after IMA scam mastermind Mansoor Khan released a video saying that he would return to India within 24 hours, former Karnataka minister and Congress MLA R Roshan Baig was detained by the Special Investigation Team in connection with the case from Kempegowda International Airport.
Baig was about to leave Bengaluru on a private aircraft on Monday evening when he was detained for questioning, sources said.
Baig has been detained for questioning from Kempegowda International Airport when he was about to take off in a private chartered aircraft to unconfirmed destination. It will be verified whether his sudden plan to leave Bengaluru is anything to do with recent release of video in Youtube by IMA prime accused Mansoor Khan,” SIT said.
SIT sources said,Mr Roshan Baig former minister and MLA Shivajinagar detained for questioning from Kempegowda International Airport when he is about to take off In a private chartered Aircraft to unconfirmed destination.It will be verified whether his sudden plan to leave Bengaluru is anything to do with recent release of video in you tube by IMA Prime accused Mansoor Khan.We have detained him for now.we have to enquire him.We are taking him to SIT office in Chalukya Circle CID office says SIT Sources.
Baig was supposed to appear before the probe team on Monday in the money laundering case, but did not saying that he had some urgent work.
The MLA wanted to appear on July 25 but the SIT directed him to depose on July 19 instead, SIT said.
Baig is among 16 other coalition legislators who have resigned since 1 July and most of them are currently lodged in a Mumbai hotel.The legislators are being pursued by both the Congress and JD (S) to return before the confidence motion, moved by Kumaraswamy, comes up for discussion on Thursday.
Khan had named prominent politicians and other personalities in his two videos released so far.On 23 June,Khan had named senior Congress leader K.Rahman Khan and JD(S) legislator T.Sharavana among others of running a campaign to end the company.Another Congress minister, B.Z.Zameer Ahmed Khan is being questioned by the ED for his alleged role in the scandal.
In a major expose,Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy said the BJP was trying to help senior Congress legislator R Roshan Baig,who is facing a probe in the multi-crore IMA scam,flee Bengaluru.Karnataka.
Karnataka CM HD Kumaraswamy confirmed the development and slammed Opposition BJP for allegedly facilitating Baig’s escape bid.
“Today SIT probing the #IMA case detained @rroshanbaig for questioning at the BIAL airport while he was trying leave along with @BSYBJP’s PA Santosh on a chartered flight to Mumbai.I was told that on seeing the SIT,Santhosh ran away while the team apprehended Mr. Baig,” wrote Kumaraswamy.
He added, “BJP MLA Yogeshwar was present at the time there. It’s a shame that @BJP4Karnataka is helping a former minister escape, who is facing a probe in the #IMA case. This clearly shows #BJP’ s direct involvement in destabilizing the govt through horse trading”wrote Kumaraswamy.
Reacting to the CM HD Kumaraswamy tweet BJP said,CM @hd_kumaraswamy is using the state machinery to save his govt now. Mr. Roshan Baig was given time till 19th July to appear before SIT. This shows how the state Govt is blackmailing and treating their own MLAs’ using the institutions.Wrote BJP. 
It is false that @BSYBJP’s PA Santhosh was travelling along with Mr. Baig.CM is peddling fake news & misleading the state. It was only Mr.Baig who was travelling & their was no 2nd passenger.We demand to check boarding passes & CCTV footage to put out the facts.BJP reacted to CM tweets.
It is said that there was a midnight high drama in kempegowda international airport while detaining the Rebel MLA questioned SIT officers why you are detaining me do you have a arrest warrant as you have served me notice to appear on July 19th there is still time for me to reply to your notice he questioned the SIT officers.
As per the summons notice no police officer can detain any person as the suspect to whom they serve notice it is only a summons so the officer cannot arrest or detain anyone only for summons they should serve the person summons notice three times and if then also he does not appear for it means then they should send a notice again asking him to appear if not the officer should go to their place and take his statement and collect the details says police sources But only based on summons they cannot detain says sources.
A former Minister in the previous Siddaramaiah government, Baig landed in the IMA controversy after the company owner Khan alleged that Baig took Rs 400 crore from him but did not return it. Khan is the prime accused in the multi crore IMA scam.
The MLA wanted to appear on July 25 but the SIT directed him to depose on July 19 instead, SIT said.
Regarding the appearance of MLA Mr Roshan Baig, before the SIT, he has consented to appear before SIT on July 25. But due to the necessity of speeding up the investigation on the part of the SIT, a second notice is served to him to appear on July 19,” the SIT said in a statement.
The MLA had refuted the charges calling them baseless and frivolous.
Baig has been sulking for quite sometime and had flayed party leaders Siddaramaiah and state president Dinesh Gundu Rao for the party’s poor show in the Lok Sabha election. The party later suspended him for his “anti-party” activities.
At the height of the resignation drama in Karnataka, he joined the bandwagon of 16 MLAs who tendered their resignation from the assembly, pushing the ruling coalition to the verge of collapse.
Hours after his resignation on July 9, the SIT served him a notice asked him to appear on July 11 but the MLA sought time and said he would appear on Monday but did not turn up.
Meanwhile, Mohammed Mansoor Khan in a video message on YouTube said he would return to India “within 24 hours” to refund money to the investors.
He said he wanted to come early but due to health issues he could not. He claimed he had high diabetes and blood pressure and that there were three blockages in his heart.
“By the grace of God, I will back to India within 24 hours.I have faith in the Indian judiciary,” Khan said in the video.
He added that once he landed in India, he will hand over documents and details to the police department.
“We will try to get the money back from those who extorted from me and took bribe,” he said.
The Enforcement Directorate has filed a money laundering case against the IMA group of companies and Mohammed Mansoor Khan after reports emerged that he has gone underground fearing investments worth crores of about 40,000 investors have tanked.
Before he went missing, Mansoor Khan threatened to commit suicide saying that corruption in the state government as well as the central government pushed him to the wall.
The SIT has arrested 21 people so far, including the Nominated corporator,Deputy commissioner of Bengaluru urban district and an assistant commissioner of Bengaluru North sub-division, who allegedly took bribe from Khan for covering up the case.

The building had a sanctioned plan for only three floors along with a cellar. But the owners had illegally constructed an additional floor which led to the collapse of the building

An under-construction building in Bengaluru’s Pulikeshi Nagar collapsed on Wednesday morning killing five people and leaving 11 others injured. An adjacent building also tilted upon the impact of the collapse.

Fire department services, NDRF, SDRF and Civil Defence team have been rushed to the spot. According to Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), the incident took place around 2 am.

“Rs 5 lakh compensation will be given to the victims’ families from the BBMP. The same will later be recovered from the building owner. Once the rescue operation is done, the entire building will be razed,” Bangalore Mayor Gangambike Mallikarjun told

According to police, the injured are being treated in a local hospital. Five of the injured are labourers. “I have instructed officials to take strict action and to demolish such buildings with illegal structures,” Mallikarjun said after visiting the site at Thomas Town in Pulikeshi Nagar.

A primary investigation by BBMP officials at the spot found that the area was earlier a marshy place. The building had a sanctioned plan for only three floors along with a cellar. But the owners had illegally constructed an additional floor which led to the collapse of the building.

Medium and Large Scale Industries Minister KJ George expressed grief at the loss of lives. “Extremely saddened to know about the loss of lives. Police, Fire officials and concerned are carrying out rescue work,” he said.

According to local residents, the two buildings tilted around 2 am and they heard a cracking sound like an earthquake when the under-construction building collapsed.

Assuring security to the rebel MLAs, the apex court directed the state DGP to provide protection and said the decision taken by the Speaker must be intimated to the bench on Friday.

The Supreme Court on Thursday told the 10 Congress and JD(S) rebel  MLAs to meet the Karnataka Assembly Speaker at 6 pm and convey their decision to resign from the Cabinet if they wish so. The court added the Speaker should decide on the resignations today itself.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi was hearing a plea by the dissident legislators who alleged that Speaker Ramesh Kumar was deliberately not accepting their resignations, a move that has threatened the stability of the coalition government.

Assuring security to the rebel MLAs, the apex court directed the state DGP to provide protection and said the decision taken by the Speaker must be intimated to the bench on Friday.

The court also asked the state police Chief to provide security to the MLAs after senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi appearing for them said one MLAs was manhandled when he went to the Assembly building Wednesday.

Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy will chair a cabinet meeting Thursday as the coalition government faces a deep political crisis. The meeting is crucial as important decisions on the future of the Congress-JD(S) coalition government in the state is expected to be taken during the meeting.

At the same time, Karnataka minister and senior Congress leader DK Shivakumar was detained and forcibly sent back to Bengaluru by the Mumbai police, hours after he waited outside a hotel to meet the rebel MLAs.

Meanwhile, the political crisis also reached New Delhi after 10 Congress and JD(S) MLAs, who quit last week, moved the Supreme Court alleging that Karnataka Speaker Ramesh Kumar is deliberately not accepting their resignations. A bench headed by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi said it will hear the petition Thursday.

With this, the ruling BJP ‘s strength in the Assembly swells to 27, and the strength of the Congress which won 17 seats in 2017, stands reduced to five. Two Congress MLAs had joined the BJP earlier.

AS the Congress struggles to save the coalition government with JD(S) in Karnataka, it suffered a major setback in Goa with 10 of its 15 MLAs joining the BJP on Wednesday.

The Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly, Congress’s Chandrakant Kavlekar, walked to the Speaker’s office late evening with nine other party MLAs — minutes after India lost to New Zealand — to tender their resignation from the party.

With this, the ruling BJP’s strength in the Assembly swells to 27, and the strength of the Congress which won 17 seats in 2017, stands reduced to five. Two Congress MLAs had joined the BJP earlier.

Sources in BJP said a Cabinet reshuffle may follow soon and indicated that most allies may be dropped. At present, five of the 12 ministerial berths are held by allies — which now “are open for new entrants,” said a BJP leader.

“They came with the resignations and I accepted,” confirmed Speaker Rajesh Patnekar and added the monsoon session of the Assembly will commence as per schedule on July 15. “Only their seating arrangement will change,” he said.

Chief Minister Pramod Sawant who was present in the Assembly house to welcome the MLAs said, “They had come for development of the state and their constituency. They have joined the BJP unconditionally.”

The MLAs who joined are Chandrakant Kavlekar, Atanasio Monserrate, Jennifer Monserrate, Filipe Neri Rodrigues, Nilkanth Halarnkar, Francisco Silveira, Clafasio Dias, Isidore Fernandes, Wilfred D’Sa, Tony Fernandes.

The anti-defection law makes it mandatory that two-thirds of the strength of a party should agree for a ‘merger’. The amendment, which came into force in January 2004, does not recognise a ‘split’ in a legislature party and instead recognises a ‘merger’.

Atanasio Monserrate, the MLA who just two months ago had snatched the Panjim seat from BJP winning on a Congress ticket – Panjim by poll was considered to be the most prestigious seat with Manohar Parrikar having won it since 1994 – is said to be the “negotiator behind the water shed moment”. He, however, denied it.

“We just decided this yesterday. We are all colleagues and old friends. After two years I came to Assembly and I told them (Congress) these are the promises I made to the people which need to be fulfilled. I am not any negotiator. We are just friends. We had a good cup of tea. We got together and said this is the best way out as far as development is concerned. I am not looking out for any ministry and no demands were placed at all.

When asked if the timing of Karnataka and Goa was planned, he said “It’s a fantastic coincidence. Nothing is pre-planned.”

Deputy Speaker Michael Lobo said all portfolio decisions now rest with the Chief Minister and “nothing else will be discussed now”.

Admitting it was time for “Congress to go back to the grass root level”, President of Goa Pradesh Congress Committee Girish Chodankar said, “BJP has exposed its intense insecurity with its coalition partners and within its camp by inducting 10 Congress MLAs. Despite having clear numbers, BJP Chief minister Pramod Sawant indulging in such unethical practices has displayed his fear to face the united opposition in the upcoming Assembly session. The group of 10 Congress MLAs have changed sides, falling prey to the blackmailing and other luring tactics adopted by BJP. Is this the new India the BJP is advocating after the Lok Sabha election. This is also a lesson to its alliance partners who went against the mandate of people in 2017 and installed BJP in power. This was the day in waiting as they disrespected the common people.”

“Everyone wanted a Congress government to come to power. But we are frustrated by being in the opposition and development of the constituency was also suffering. We have been in the opposition for long and to continue with no development of the constituency was not acceptable. We have joined the BJP to ensure development in the constituency and, provide jobs for our youth,” Kavlekar told the press after he joined the BJP.

Of the five left in the Congress — Ravi Naik, Luizinho Faleiro, Pratapsingh Rane, Digambar Kamat and Alex Reginaldo — the first four have been the state chief minister. Internally, Congress MLAs also say the decision was taken with the poor leadership within the party and lack of unity.

When contacted, Reginaldo confirmed he was given an offer too to join the BJP. “This is the worst type of politics. Only time will tell, People are watching, “ he said.

The next development, according to BJP sources, will be dropping few ministers from the cabinet, with the Goa Forward Party losing all its ministerial berths including that of Deputy CM held by its leader Vijai Sardesai.

PRAMESH S JAIN 

Karnataka crisis: Two more Congress MLAs quit;Mumbai sees high drama as police detain DK Shivakumar,and Ruckus breaks out at Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru.

Highlights :
* DK Shivakumar braved the heavy rains of Mumbai in an attempt to meet the rebel MLAs at the Powai hotel,despite the MLAs showing no interest in meeting him.Earlier in the day,his booking at the Powai hotel was also cancelled due to some emergency at the hotel.I’ll not go without meeting my friends.I can’t go by you (rebel Karnataka MLAs not ready to meet him), they’ll call me.Their heart will break.I’m in touch already,hearts of both of us are beating,a determined Shivakumar had said. 
* Mumbai Police later detained Shivakumar,Mumbai Congress leader Milind Deora and other party leaders from outside the hotel.The leaders were taken to the rest house at the University of Mumbai’s Kalina campus.They were later released,with Deora stating that Shivakumar was being forcibly sent back to Bengaluru.Congress MLC Bhai Jagtap and Shivakumar were escorted to the airport by Mumbai Police.
* Upon reaching Bengaluru,Shivakumar blamed the BJP and state officials of misusing their authority.He told reporters, Mumbai is known for its hospitality.I had booked a room there and was on an official visit to meet my friends and colleagues but the BJP and officials misused their authority, it’s a matter of shame.
* 10 rebel Congress and JD(S) MLAs moved the Supreme Court on Wednesday, claiming that Speaker Ramesh Kumar was deliberately not accepting their resignations,in a move that favoured the HD Kumaraswamy’s government,which is now in minority. 
* Karnataka unit of BJP staged protests outside the Vidhan Soudha in Bengaluru, demanding the resignation of Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy, stating that his government had lost majority in the House. 
* Azad and other high profile leaders including former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and ex-Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda had joined protestors in central Bengaluru at Minsk square a throw away distance from the Vidhana Soudha where the BJP was holding protests.
* The coalition government protested against BJP for their alleged Horse trading and Poaching of MLAs.
* After concluding their protest they tried to lay seige Raj Bhavan but the police stopped them in between near BSNL office. 
* As protests and sloganeering from Congress members continued in the Well of the House, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said if Rajya Sabha was not allowed to function it will be “inevitable” to extend Parliament session beyond July 26 so that all business can be completed.
* Former Karnataka CM and Congress leader Siddaramaiah blamed the BJP for promoting hooliganism in the state and accused BJP of indulging in horse-trading. He also accused PM Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah for being responsible for the political instability in the state of Karnataka. 
* Amid the ongoing political tussle, the police imposed Section 144 (which prohibits the assembly of more than 4 people in an area) at Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru from July 11-14 .
* Former Karnataka CM and Congress leader Siddaramaiah blamed the BJP for promoting hooliganism in the state and accused BJP of indulging in horse-trading. He also accused PM Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah for being responsible for the political instability in the state of Karnataka. 

High Jolt to Coalition government two More Congress MLAs quit : 

In a fresh jolt to the wobbly Congress-JDS coalition government in Karnataka,Two more Congress legislators,M.T.B. Nagaraj and D.Sudhakar on Wednesday submitted their resignations to state Assembly Speaker K.R. Ramesh Kumar,taking the number of disgruntled MLAs who have put in their papers to 16.
The two legislators submitted their resignations to the Speaker at his office in the state secretariat.
Karnataka Congress legislators,Housing minister MTB Nagaraj and K Sudhakar, tendered their resignations Wednesday to the Speaker, taking the number of disgruntled MLAs who have quit to 16.
The development comes even as D K Shivakumar, Karnataka’s Water Resources Minister, the Congress’ troubleshooter, was detained and sent packing back to Bengaluru from Mumbai, where he was prevented by police from meeting the rebel MLAs.
The ruling Congress-JDS coalition faces the threat of losing majority in the Assembly if the resignations are accepted as its current tally is 116 in the 224-member House.
Nagaraj and Sudhakar submitted their resignations to Speaker Ramesh Kumar at his chamber in Vidhana Soudha, the State secretariat.
Confirming the resignations,Ramesh Kumar told reporters,Yes, Sudhakar and M T B Nagaraj have resigned.
Soon after submitting his resignation Nagaraj went and met Governor Vajubhai Vala,informing him about his decision.
On the other hand, high drama prevailed when Sudhakar came out of the Speaker’s office after tendering his resignation.
Angry Congress leaders,including social welfare minister,Priyank Kharge and KPCC President,Dinesh Gundu Rao surrounded him,demanding that he withdraw his resignation, but he did not relent.
BJP workers staged a demonstration outside the secretariat,demanding that Sudhakar be allowed to leave and entered into an altercation with congress leaders.
Later,Sudhakar was escorted to the Raj Bhavan with full police protection by Commissioner of Police.
According to sources,Sudhakar was escorted to Raj Bhavan by police after Governor Vajubhai Vala directed police commissioner Alok Kumar to present the MLA before him at the earliest.
After putting in his papers,Nagaraj told reporters that he was fed up with politics and wished to retire from public life.I don’t want any ministerial position or anything. I am fed up with politics,” Nagaraj said.
The two join the list of 14 Congress and JD Secular MLAs who have submitted their letters to resign from the assembly over the last week.
Nagaraj represents Hoskote in the assembly while Sudhakar Chikballapur.
Former chief minister Siddaramaiah too came to the Vidhana Soudha to persuade Sudhakar to withdraw his resignation and had a discussion with him inside the chamber of the minister for large and medium industries K J George.
Just then, BJP MLAs Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri,S R Vishwanath, M.P Renukacharya and V Somanna too reached there and staged a demonstration against the alleged hooliganism of Congress workers.
They demanded that Sudhakar be immediately freed from the clutches of Congress leaders.
Tension prevailed as the BJP and Congress leaders resorted to sloganeering against each other.
Senior police officers,including Bengaluru police commissioner Alok Kumar, along with police personnel,rushed to the Vidhana Soudha to bring the situation under control.As if we recall this is the second time Commissioner of police rushed to Vidhana Soudha to give protection to MLAs as about last eight years ago in the year 2010 the then Shankar Bidari commissioner of police was rushed to vidhana soudha where the former chief minister Siddaramaiah with other seen getting into scuffle with cops they even removed his cap in the scuffle and this has repeated again today where in commissioner was asked to rush to Vidhana Soudha and present the MLA with full protection as the earliest.The same was followed and Dr.Sudhakar MLA was taken from vidhana soudha in full protection. 
After meeting the Governor, Sudhakar described the incident at the secretariat as a small friction but condemned the manner in which he was taken for talks,adding his wife and his other family members wereshaken by it.Without naming anyone,he slammed the behaviour of a person who has been a minister and an MLC.The way he behaved should not have happened in democracy and civilised society.People of the country have seen it,I don’t want to talk about it more.There was a way to convince me if they wanted.I’m not a kinder garden student.The action is highly condemnable, he added.
BJP MLA Basavaraj Bommai has alleged that Congress MLA Sudhakar was assaulted by Congress.He said,It’s a black day in the history of Karnataka’s democracy. A ruling party’s MLA (Sudhakar) has been assaulted by his own president, minister and colleagues. They tried to put pressure on him. He as MLA couldn’t work independently, therefore, there is gundaraj in the state.
Police chased away a few media personnel standing outside the secretariat.Some cameramen and media persons were beaten up and their equipment was broken.
When the demonstration was taking place, an altercation broke out inside the secretariat between Honnalli BJP MLA M P Renukacharya and urban development minister U T Khader when the latter reached there to hold talks with Sudhakar.
Alleging that the Congress leaders were not allowing Sudhakar to leave,BJP state president B S Yeddyurappa told reporters,”We all have seen how Sudhakar was pushed and shoved.Nagaraj has met the governor while Sudhakar was not allowed to go out. He has been confined in a room. This is Goondaism he added.
Yeddyurappa also petitioned Vala that the speaker was not expediting the process of accepting the resignation of 16 MLAs who resigned since July 6.
Seeking Valas intervention, Yeddyurappa stated in his letter, Instead of accepting the resignations, I would regret to say, the speaker is allowing the ruling party to continue in power and threatening the resigned MLAs.
Even the ministers of the ruling government are visiting their premises and threatening them for their act (resigning).
Hitting out at the BJP, Siddaramaiah said, Sudhakar is our MLA.
Our leaders were talking to him. What relation BJP has with Sudhakar? He is not a BJP MLA or worker.. As long as his resignation is not accepted, he continues to be the member of the Congress party.As a CLP leader I was talking to him. What made the BJP create a ruckus like that… to do rowdyism? BJP MLAs and workers are rowdies. They have taken law into their hands. I condemn it he said.
As the political crisis in the southern state continued to be played out in Mumbai Wednesday, Congress leader Milind Deora, who was also detained along with Shivakumar, claimed Mumbai police were forcibly deporting” the minister to Bengaluru.
Shivakumar, who came to Mumbai to meet rebel Congress MLAs from Karnataka, was detained along with Deora and former Maharashtra minister Naseem Khan. They were taken to a guest house in Kalina and released after a while.
Congress MLC Bhai Jagtap said Shivakumar was taken to Mumbai airport by Mumbai police.
Protests took centre stage in Bengaluru on Wednesday even as the political crisis in the state spilled over to Mumbai’s Renaissance Hotel and even the Supreme Court in the national capital.
Security was heightened heavy police personnel were deployed in and around Raj Bhavan and Vidhana Soudha Commissioner of Police Alok Kumar was Monitored and Addl CPs as,Umesh Kumar,Murugan,Harishekaran was supervising the area with DCPs as,Dr.Chandra Gupta,Rahul Kumar Sharpode,Shashi kumar,Ramesh Banoth,Jagadeesh with ACPs,PI,and staff of all Zones,with Cobra team were present
As a result of the protests, Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha and Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad along with other Congress leaders were detained by police for protesting outside the Raj Bhavan where BS Yeddyurappa was just about to arrive along with other state BJP leaders.
Azad and other high profile leaders including former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and ex-Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda had joined protestors in central Bengaluru at a stone’s throw away distance from the Vidhana Soudha where the BJP was holding protests.
Speaking at the protest, Deve Gowda exuded confidence about his party holding onto power.In my 60 years in politics,I am pained to say I have never seen such a pathetic state.Yesterday,the Speaker reviewed the resignations,and given three of them the opportunity to appear before him and explain the situation tomorrow.He will also do the same with others.In such a situation,it is wrong to put pressure on the Governor,he told supporters of the Congress and the JD(S) gathered.Gowda was very emphatic in his response when asked if he believes that the BJP offered money to the rebel legislator.They have given,given,given,given given!he exclaimed,adding that making HD Kumaraswamy quit has been Yeddyurappa’s suprabhata as good morning wish since the day the coalition government came into being.The Congress and JDS have often accused the BJP of trying to poach their legislators from time to time as part of a political strategy codenamed as Operation Kamala (Operation Lotus).The BJP, however, insists that the legislators have quit their respective parties on their own accord.said it was high time all opposition parties united against the BJP because the country was under serious threat from the BJP.I feel that the present situation is worse than the Emergency.DK Shivakumar went to the hotel but was denied entry despite having booked a room there.I have not seen anything like this in my 60 years of political life,him as saying before a march taken out by Congress-JDS workers towards Raj Bhavan.All political parties should set aside their differences and come together to save democracy he added.
BJP leaders are rowdies; Modi, Shah behind Karnataka crisis: Siddaramaiah
Meanwhile,Karnataka Congress leader Siddaramaiah declared that party members would stage protests across the state to protest the purchase of legislators.I tell you that our workers will not let you travel in the state. We will create a situation that will prevent you from meeting the people.Siddaramaiah also condemned the rebel legislators for putting the ruling coalition in such a precarious situation.They have gone for money and power.They have sold themselves.I am appealing to all those who have camped in Mumbai,succumbing to the allurement trap laid by BJP, to come back and withdraw your resignation letters.Respect the people’s verdict,or they will teach you a lesson he even alleged on Wednesday alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister and BJP president Amit Shah were behind the political crisis in the state.Siddaramaiah’s comment came hours after two more Congress MLAs resigned from the state assembly taking the number of disgruntled legislators who have put in their papers to 16.On Wednesday, Chikballapur MLA K. Sudhakar and Hoskote MLA and Housing Minister M.T.B. Nagaraj handed over their resignation letters to Speaker K.R. Ramesh Kumar.What made BJP people do rowdyism like that? BJP MLAs and workers are rowdies.I condemn it.It is quiet evident that BJP leaders, Amit Shah and Narendra Modi,are behind all this.They are defecting and threatening our MLAs.The former chief minister said as a leader of the Congress Legislature Party, he was trying to convince Sudhakar and claimed that the latter continued to be a member of the Congress party as long as his resignation was not accepted.Sudhakar is not a BJP MLA or BJP worker, just because he has resigned, it doesn’t mean he is a BJP MLA,” Siddaramaiah added.
Karnataka, senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad has alleged that the Centre is using Governors to topple opposition governments in states, and raised fingers on the conduct of the present BJP government at the Centre as well as Governors.State after state, opposition Government are being toppled and Government of India is using Governors for this. From Arunachal Pradesh to Karnataka, Governor’s side with defectors and help them in coming out of Congress. We appeal to the nation to rise to the occasion to save this democracy.The entire country is anguished at the way the present BJP government at the national level and Governor at the state level are conducting themselves. The way democracy is being finished in this country,” he said.
Ghulam Nabi Azad and Karnataka Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge have blamed the BJP for the current situation in Karnataka. Azad questioned the conduct of the Governor and Kharge made a fresh appeal to rebel MLAs to not budge to pressures. According to sources, more resignations can be expected on Thursday, with rebel congress leader Ramalinga Reddy’s daughter,Soumya Reddy,also expected to step down.She is the MLA from Bengaluru’s Jayanagar constituency. Khanapur MLA Anjali Nimbalkar and Chikkodi lawmaker Ganesh Hukkeri are also expected to resign.
Meanwhile, Karnataka Congress’s troubleshooter DK Shivakumar, who risked everything for his party and flew out to Mumbai on Wednesday, failed to meet the rebels and woo them back to the party fold.
The Mumbai Police prevented Shivakumar and other leaders from entering a five-star hotel in the city where the rebel MLAs were accommodated. Shivakumar and the others were detained after the dissident lawmakers wrote to the police seeking protection from him and other Karnataka coalition leaders.
Shivakumar was forced to wait outside the hotel for more than six hours and was detained, along with Milind Deora, who recently quit as Mumbai Congress president.
After he was released by the police, Shivakumar said that he had gone to the hotel only to meet “friends”.
“I am forcibly pushed to leave Mumbai by the police and I have no option left. But I still believe my friends will come back and the government will be safe. It’s not about politics, it’s about the democratic values and constitution. Democracy is at the risk and it’s a fresh example for that,” he said.
Later, the All India Congress Committee (AICC) filed a complaint stating that rebel MLAs of the party from Karnataka were illegally confined in the hotel.
“Mumbai Police have received a complaint from the AICC Wednesday of illegal confinement of rebel Karnataka Congress MLAs at a Powai hotel,” the officer said.
Kumaraswamy alleged that manhandling ministers and MLAs” by the police “reinforces the suspicion of the BJP being involved in horse-trading”.
Of the 16 MLAs who have resigned, 13 are from Congress and three from JD(S). The coalition’s total strength is 116 (Congress-78, JD(S)-37 and BSP-1), besides the Speaker.
With the support of the two independents, who Monday resigned from the ministry, the BJP has 107 MLAs in the 224-member House, where the half-way mark is 113.
If the resignations of the 16 MLAs are accepted, the coalition’s tally will be reduced to 100.
Meanwhile,a meeting of Congress leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad, K.C. Venugopal, Mallikarjun Kharge, G. Parameshwara, Siddaramaiah, Dinesh Gundu Rao, Eshwara Khandre and others is underway following the resignation of two more MLAs on Wednesday.
The ruling Congress-JD(S) coalition faces the threat of losing its majority if the resignations of the rebel MLAs are accepted. 

In a breather to the Congress-JDS alliance, Karnataka Speaker K R Ramesh Kumar Tuesday rejected the resignations of nine of 14 coalition MLAs on the ground that they were not tendered in the correct format.

Ten rebel Karnataka MLAs of Congress and JD(S) Wednesday moved the Supreme Court, alleging delay on the part of the Assembly Speaker in accepting their resignations. The matter was mentioned before Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi, who said the court will consider listing the case tomorrow. The petition alleged that the Speaker had acted in a partisan manner and was deliberately not accepting their resignations.

Karnataka Speaker K R Ramesh Kumar Tuesday rejected the resignations of nine of 14 coalition MLAs on the ground that they were not tendered in the correct format.

Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi who appeared for the rebel MLAs pressed for an urgent hearing saying “time is the essence” in the matter. “We will see,” the bench, which also comprised justices Deepak Gupta and Aniruddha Bose said.

The Speaker has fixed dates over the next six days to meet and interview the five MLAs whose resignations were found to be in order. The Speaker’s decision gives the Congress-JD(S) combine some breathing room to try and pull the government back from the brink of collapse.