MYSURU: MLC AH Vishwanath’s supporters are planning to hold statewide protests demanding a cabinet berth for him, putting the ruling party in a spot. This comes at a time when the MLC is at the receiving end after his open criticism about Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa’s style of functioning.

Criticising the manner in which he was countered for speaking up, his supporters said, “People like Renukacharya and S R Vishwanath should remember that each minister and board chairperson came to power due to the sacrifice of Vishwanath. There would not have been a BJP government, nor Yediyurappa at the state helm without Vishwanath.” They said the party should give him a cabinet berth at the earliest. 

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BENGALURU: With Unlock 2.0 starting from Monday, social distance went for a toss as people crowded bus-stops and traffic gridlocks greeted motorists on Bengaluru streets. “Shops, bars, hotels, gyms and other commercial establishments opened with 50 per cent capacity. Self-service eateries (darshinis) saw a 10 per cent increase in business, but not at par with the pre-pandemic times,” said Bruhat Bengaluru Hoteliers’ Association president PC Rao.

Gyms were open, but members seemed hesitant to turn up. Karnataka Gym and Fitness Centre Owners’ Association president AV Ravi said, “We are following all precautions. We are  sanitising, asking our members to maintain social distance. We are also regularly cleaning the place. We expect the business to pick up after a month. New admissions are not coming and only 3 or 4 out of 10 customers are turning up.”

There are 7,000-odd gyms under the association, although it is not clear how many are still functional, as they were shut for almost two years. They had previously asked the government to be included in the financial relief package, waiver of taxes and electricity bills but their demands were not met. Now, they also have to bear an additional cost if they have to remove ACs and make room for natural ventilation, as the government has not allowed air-conditioned gyms.

Production units and industrial establishments have been allowed to function with 50 per cent staff in all districts. Manjunatha Prasad, Principal Secretary, Revenue Department and Member Secretary, State Executive Committee, passed the order after considering the weekly moving average positivity rate of districts as on June 20, and consistent declining trend of the case positivity rate in certain districts, including Udupi, Bengaluru Rural, Shivamogga, Ballari, Chitradurga and Vijayapura. 

BENGALURU: While some commercial activities have been allowed under Unlock-2, tourism activities are yet to start, including the opening of Bannerghatta Biological Park.  Even as the Zoo Authority of Karnataka has left the decision of reopening to the managements and the local administration, BBP management said that the zoo will be opened only after consultation with veterinarians, health department and government officials.  “We found that there are many positive cases in and around Bannerghatta villages. The health of the locals is also crucial while opening the zoo, as many staffers are from the vicinity. Also, the SOPs need to be prepared keeping in mind the third wave,” an official said.

A City Civil and Sessions Court in Bengaluru has directed former Prime Minister and Janata Dal (Secular) supremo H.D.Devegowda to pay
damages of Rs.2 crore to Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprise (NICE) Limited for the loss of reputation.

NICE had filed a case on his defamatory comments in an interview on a Kannada news channel in June, 2011.

The counsel for the company argued that the allegation made by Mr.Gowda about utilizing more land than required for implementation of the project was inaccurate.

The company had no role in deciding the quantity of land required for the project and the allegation therefore was false and made by the defendant without there being any documentary evidence, said the counsel.

Counsel for the company also contended that the project undertaken is approved by the
Government of Karnataka.

The High Court of Karnataka and the Supreme Court had even issued directions to the Government to take steps for implementation of the project which shows that there is no illegality and irregularities in the work.The company had claimed Rs 10 crore damages for the statement issued by Former PM.

The court said Mr Gowda had failed to substantiate his claim against the company made during the interview.

The order issued by judge Mallanagouda also  restrained Mr.Gowda from making defamatory statements against the company in the media in future.

BENGALURU: With the lockdown restrictions being further relaxed in many districts, including Bengaluru Urban, from Monday, Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa appealed to people to continue to be vigilant, follow Covid-19 appropriate behaviour and not to be under the illusion that the pandemic is over. The government on Monday issued an order relaxing restrictions in six more districts, including Bengaluru Rural.

Meanwhile, in continuation of its June 19 order,  the government on Monday included six more districts – Bengaluru Rural, Udupi, Shivamogga, Ballari, Chitradurga and Vijayapura – under Category I districts and allowed all additional activities permitted for such districts until July 5.

The State Executive Committee took the decision after considering the weekly moving average positivity rate as of June 20, and also taking into account the consistent declining trend of the case positivity rate, stated an order issued by N Manjunatha Prasad, Principal Secretary, Revenue Department. On June 19, the government had announced lockdown relaxations in 16 districts including Bengaluru Urban, and Dharwad was added to the list on Sunday. Now, six more districts have been included in it. However, there is no relaxation in the lockdown norms in a few districts including Mysuru, that are reporting a high case positivity rate. Night curfew and weekend curfew will continue.

Pramesh Jain

The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) officials of Bangalore Zonal unit along with the officials of Hyderabad Sub Zone officials busted an inter state drug racket and seized two tonnes of Marijuana which according to the officials is the biggest seizure even estimated to be worth Rs. 15 Crore.

The four accused has been identified as,K Kale, S Kale,C Kale and B Dhoralkar from Osmanabad of Maharashtra. 

Amit Ghawate,Zonal Director of Bangalore Zonal unit,said,The seizure was made based on the intelligence input to Bangalore zonal unit officials on Sunday.

The officials intercepted a truck carrying Ganja near Pedda Amberpet Toll Plaza in Hyderabad and arrested  four persons including the truck driver.

The marijuana was concealed between raw cashew nut shells in around 1080 packets.Each packet of ganja weighed around 2 kg.

The source of the ganja was from Andhra Odisha border (AOB) the NCB said.

The consignment was destined to Pune and Mumbai,Amit Ghawate,Zonal Director,Bangalore, said. 

The four arrested accused are identified as K Kale,S Kale,C Kale and B Dhoralkar from Osmanabad of Maharashtra. 

Probe revealed that the accused sourced the drugs from Andhra Pradesh and Odisha border which is cultivated illegally in naxal infested area .

The officials further said that there is a wide peddling network to distribute Marijuana across the country including Delhi,Mumbai,Karnataka, Rajasthan,Tamilnadu,Kerala and other states.It is also smuggled across the ocean to Sri Lanka.  

The ganja,or cannabis,has been seized under the provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act,1985.The NDPS Act prohibits and criminalises the sale, possession,transportation and cultivation of cannabis in certain forms in India.

NCB acknowledges the dedicated efforts of Amit Ghawate IRS,(Zonal Director,Bangalore),Sumit Arya,Superintendent and other team members.

Pramesh Jain

The Banerghatta police arrested a gram panchayath member for raping a 28-year-old home maker at gun point and blackmailed her  with the nude pictures on Monday.

The accused has been identified as,Ahmed Pasha,a Gram panchayat member and his driver Wahid.

Senior officer told media persons,based on the complaint the police arrested Ahmed Pasha resident of Shanbhoganahalli and member of Bilwardahalli gram panchayat and his driver Wahid.

During investigation it was found that the accused posing as councillor and flaunting his social activities of helping the poor during lock down,befriended the victim on social media recently.

The accused later offered the victim a modelling job and invited her home for the meeting.

The accused had even sent his driver Wahid to pick up the victim and bring her to the farm house.The victim came to meet Ahmed along with her two minor children.

Ahmed pasha sent the children with Wahid out on the pretext of buying them snacks and raped the victim at gum point.

The accused later clicked the pictures and threatened the victim that she should come to him whenever she is called .

The victim who was feared for her life and the life of children did not react and returned home to  narrate the ordeal and later approached the Bannerghatta police to file a complaint.

The police have now taken Ahmed and Wahid into custody charging them under rape,blackmail and also under arms Act.We have also recovered the firearm the accused used in the crime and are verifying whether it is licensed or illegal and further investigations is on said a senior officer.

Pramesh Jain

The Karnataka government has ordered a probe into the telephone tapping allegations levelled by ruling Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Aravind Bellad, said Basavaraj Bommai,Minister for Parliamentary Affairs,Law and Home Affairs, on Friday.

The special team of police formed by Home Minister of Karnataka Basavaraj Bommai under the supervision of Kamal Pant Commissioner of police a special team probing the alleged phone tapping case of Aravind Bellad,BJP MLA, recorded his statement as part of initiating probe on Saturday.

The Cubbon park ACP,Yathiraj recorded the statement in details and analyzed his mobile phone and the number from where he received the call from a person claiming to be from Yuvraj Swamy for cheating over a dozen of people including high court retired judge promising political posting.

Yuvraj Swamy has been arrested by CCB and currently lodged in Central Prison of Parappana Agrahara .

Bellad,51,representing Hubli Dharwad west assembly constituency, had complained to the speaker and the state police chief suspecting that his phone is being tapped and demanded a detailed probe.

Bellad alleged that attempts were being made to fix him in controversy and had claimed that unknown hands were trying to target him.He had said that a person who is in judicial custody had made a call to him.  

The police are now analyzing the call record history of the number which was used to make call to Bellad and its tower location. 

Based on the findings it can be concluded that who made the call and how and why, a Senior officer officer said.

Bellad’s allegations had come at a time when Karnataka BJP in-charge, Arun Singh, had visited Bengaluru to hold a series of meetings with party leaders, legislators and ministers since Wednesday evening.

His allegations had provided ammunition to the opposition parties, Congress and Janata Dal (Secular), which wasted no time in demanding a thorough probe into these allegations levelled by a ruling party member.

Bommai told the media that Bellad had written a letter to him and to the Karnataka Director General of Police, Praveen Sood,seeking an investigation into the allegations.

“I have asked Bengaluru Police Commissioner, Kamal Pant, to look into the matter, inquire, get details and book anyone who has done it,said the Minister.

Reacting to Bellad’s claims,Kamal Pant told the media that he had received a letter from the government to probe the matter and it will be investigated thoroughly under the leadership of DCP Central MN Anucheth who will probe the matter in detail and the culprit will be nabbed soon he added.

Pramesh Jain

An RTI activist has filed a complaint against Bengaluru South MP Tejaswi Surya for allegedly violating lockdown norms by dining in at a hotel in Nrupathunga Road on Tuesday.

RTI activist Vijay Dennis has filed a complaint in Halasuru Gate police station,stating that the state had declared lockdown and hotels and restaurants are allowed only to give parcels.

However,it was published in media that MP Tejaswi Surya and singer Vijay Prakash were found dining at Hotel Nisarga Grand on Nrupatunga Road on Tuesday.

“This is a violation of the lockdown and hence the MP should be booed and an FIR should be lodged under the NDMA Act and the IPC,he alleged in his complaint.

However, the police are yet to register an FIR in this regard.