Bengaluru: Karnataka recorded over 1,445 new cases of COVID-19 and ten fatalities, taking the total number of infections to 9,71,647 and the toll to 12,444, the Health department said on Monday.

This is for the seventh consecutive day that the state is reporting over 1,000 new cases, however it has come down from 1,715 infections on Sunday.

The day also saw 661 patients getting discharged after recovery.

Cumulatively 9,71,647 COVID-19 positive cases have been confirmed in the state. It included 12,444 deaths and 9,44,917 discharges, the Health department said in its bulletin.

Out of 14,267 active cases, as many as 136 are undergoing treatment in intensive care units of various hospitals.

Four of the fresh deaths were reported from Bengaluru Urban and one each from Dakshina Kannada, Dharwad, Kalaburagi, Mysuru, Tumakuru and Uttara Kannada.

Among the districts where the new cases were reported, Bengaluru Urban accounted for 886, Udupi 113, Mysuru 61, Tumakuru and Bidar 51, Kalaburagi 43, followed by others.

Bengaluru Urban tops the districts in list of positive cases, with a total of 4,18,558, followed by Mysuru 54,872 and Ballari 39,493.

Among discharges too, Bengaluru Urban tops the list with 4,04,116, followed by Mysuru 53,490 and Ballari 38,788.

A total of over 2,04,67,387 samples have been tested so far, out of which 78,178 were tested on Monday alone. Only 3,513 of them were rapid antigen tests.

Bengaluru: ‘GetCETgo’, a Karnataka government initiative offering a comprehensive online crash course for Karnataka Common Entrance Test, NEET and JEE, at a cost of less than Rs 40 for registered students, was launched here on Monday by Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa.

This was to help students offset the challenges for students from last year since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic when many of them were off track with their exam preparations and had limited access to academic content

GetCETgo will be more beneficial to students who belong to backward sections of the socio-economic structure, and this also comprises LMS (learning management system), he added.

This year, the course had been introduced for JEE also, he said.

GetCETgo is available through the web portal, an android app and YouTube Channel, an official release said, adding it would offer preparatory material for KCET, NEET and JEE and the test will be available in the JEE Main format.

GetCETgo 2021’s support services include: login support, tech back-end support, doubt clarification, and customer service 24/7, it added.

Deputy Chief Minister C N Ashwath Narayan, who also holds the higher education portfolio, said the objective was to increase the number of students of Karnataka in IITs.

“This course facilitates learning, revision and taking up tests.

Videos, synapses and interactive tests, especially in terms of scale on an online platform, will be the first initiative by any state in the country,” he said.

GetCETgo is intended to benefit all students (above two lakh) nationwide who have registered for the program, Narayan said.

Through this, the government will be able to deliver quality crash course content at a cost of less than Rs 40 per registered student, the deputy CM said.

GetCETgo would be made available for the entire year from the coming academic year and the Karnataka Examinations Authority will be entrusted with this responsibility, he said.

Bengaluru: Former chief minister Siddaramaiah on Monday demanded in the Karnataka assembly registration of a rape case against BJP MLA Ramesh Jarkiholi, who quit as minister recently after allegations that he sexually harassed a woman ‘job aspirant’, and a court monitored probe.

The Leader of the Opposition claimed the woman in a video message had said she was “utilised” and thus it would amount to rape.

“I demand a rape case under section 376 of the IPC be registered against Ramesh Jarkiholi otherwise we can’t do justice to the woman,” Siddaramaiah said.

Jarkiholi, BJP MLA from Gokak, resigned as minister on March 3, after a social activist lodged a police complaint alleging sexual harassment to a ‘job aspirant’ and video clips purportedly showing their intimate moments surfaced.

Rejecting the charges, the BJP leader has claimed innocence, saying the videos were fake and vowed to send the ‘conspirators’ behind bars.

Social activist Dinesh Kallahalli had withdrawn the police complaint against Jarkiholi.

Raising the issue in the House, Siddaramaiah said “When the victim says she was utilised, it means there was no consent for the act. An act without consent is rape.”

He said the police officers who failed to register a case should also face action.

Siddaramaiah charged Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai with writing a note to police based on a statement by Jarkiholi to form a SIT on March 9 without any term of condition though the former minister lodged a police complaint only on March 13 that he was blackmailed using a fake CD.

Intervening, veteran Congress member K R Ramesh Kumar said the complaint of such serious nature lodged by a former MLA on behalf of Jarkiholi should not have been accepted by the police.

Contending that the complaint lodged by Jarkiholi was untenable, Siddaramaiah demanded protection for the woman and a Karnataka High Court monitored investigation by an independent agency and not the SIT.

He also sought the resignation of six Ministers who obtained temporary court injunction against publishing of any defamatory materials against them in the media, including news channels and the newspapers.

“The ministers are under fear which is against their oath of discharging their duties without any fear or favour at the time of assuming office,” Siddaramaiah said.

Bengaluru: Theatre hall occupancy in Karnataka would not be restricted to 50 per cent though there has been a spurt in COVID-19 cases in the state, Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa said here on Friday.

He also urged theatre owners, the viewers and the general public to abide by all the government guidelines to help control the spread of the pandemic.

“There is no such proposal before the government to allow a maximum of 50 per cent occupancy in cinema theatres,” he tweeted after a section of media reported that such a move was on the cards.

Noting that COVID-19 cases are again on the rise, the CM, in an open letter to the public, posted on twitter, said the government has taken all necessary steps to contain the pandemic. However it would not be possible without people’s support, he said.

Asking people to wear facemasks, maintain hand hygiene and follow social distancing, he requested the elderly and people above 45 years with comorbidities to get vaccinated.

The appeal came as the state recorded 1,587 infections on Friday, including 1,037 in Bengaluru.

There were 10 deaths in the state with six fatalities in Bengaluru alone.

Meanwhile the sudden spurt in cases in Bengaluru and speculations of a possible lockdown prompted the city civic agency to state it would submit a report to the government on the reasons behind it and abide by their decision

Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike commissioner N Manjunath Prasad told reporters that contact tracing of the 925 cases reported on Thursday revealed that the maximum were from apartments due to partying and various events.

there were also cases of people going to temples and attending marriages, all of which would be brought to the notice of the state government

“BBMP will abide by whatever decision is taken by the government,” Prasad said.

He said the civic agency was making arrangements to increase testing and would deploy more ‘corona warriors’ in areas where more cases have been reported and focus on conducting vaccinations in these places

The number of cases in the city, which had been below the 300 mark for more than three months, saw a sharp rise this month, crossing the 600 mark on March 14 and 900 on March 18.

Bengaluru: The Karnataka government was mulling making available sand almost free of cost for economically weaker sections people wishing to build a house under Rs ten lakh, Mines and Geology Minister Murugesh Nirani told the state assembly on Friday.

He agreed that getting quality sand, especially by the economically poor people at a reasonable price.

“With a view to making available sand to the poor people at a low price, our government is contemplating introducing free-sand policy,” he said, responding to a question by JD(S) member C N Balakrishna.

Nirani said whoever builds a house with a budget of Rs 10 lakh or less, whether under the Ashraya scheme or rebuilding a dilapidated house, the government would provide good sand at a token price of Rs 100 or Rs 200 per tonne.

According to industry sources, a tonne of M-sand now costs between Rs 1,400 to Rs 2,000.

Regarding “illegal mining and transportation” of sand in Hassan district, Nirani said the government will take stringent measures to check such practice.

Balakrishna pointed out the demand for sand is eight lakh tonnes to 10 lakh tonnes whereas the supply is only 1.14 lakh tonnes.

K Annadani of JDS alleged while sand was illegally extracted from Cauvery basin during night time in connivance with police, a poor person taking out the key raw material in his bullock cart gets booked.

Pramesh Jain

Two Notorious Drug Peddlers including Nigerian National arrested by commercial Street police,Drugs Worth Rs.35 Lakhs Seized:

The East Division police of commercial Street police has arrested two drug peddlers including a Nigerian National and recovered Narcotics Drugs substances worth Rs.35 lakhs from them.

The accused has been identified as,Okoro Christian Ifeanyi,36,Nigerian National with Rohit Christopher B,28,resident of TC Palya.

The duo were caught near union Street junction while they were trying to sell the drugs to their clients in a two wheeler.

Senior officer told media persons that to curb the drug menace across city a special squad has been formed and were asked to keep a watch on drug peddlers in their jurisdiction police station limits.

The special Anti-Narcotics squad received a tip off that a two persons in a two wheeler are in possession with drugs and waiting near union Street junction, to handover the drugs to their clients.

Based on the credible information Commercial street police inspector and staff rushed to the spot and they kept a close watch on the duo and after getting doubt and suspicious on them the team apprehended them and when they checked their bag they found drugs substances as MDMA with them and caught them red handed.

The team brought them to station for questioning and while they searched the team found 350 grams of MDMA powder,2 mobile phones,10 empty ziplock plastic covers,and a two wheeler and 1 duplicate Visa was found in their possession and after estimating the value of siezed Narcotics Drugs substances the total worth Rs.35 lakhs has been seized.

For further investigation the team took them into custody and during interrogation the accused confessed the crime and it has revealed the African National has come to India on tourist Visa for 3 months in the year 2018 and after which he is staying illegally in the city and is into peddling drugs.

A detailed investigation by the team the accused spilled the beans that he used to procure MDMA drugs from chebuki from his counterparts through courier and the Nigerian National said that he met and befriended Rohit Christopher at Football academy in TC palya while playing football.

After befriending with his help both were peddling and supplying drugs to Nigerian nationals and college students in KR Puram,Ramamurthynagar and other areas and to make easy money and lead a lavish life they were into peddling of drugs are now cooling their heels in jail.

We will question the house owner who has rented a house to Nigerian National and after investigation action will be initiated on the owner of the house for renting a house to Nigerian to stay illegally a case under NDPS Act and Foreigners Act has been registered and further investigation is on to track down their network.

Finally Bengaluru Police Commissioner,Kamal Pant has appreciated Addl CP East,S Murugan DCP East,Dr SD Sharanappa,ACP Pulakeshinagar Sub-Division,Smt.Tabarak Fathima,PI,HJ Shivashankar,PSI,Arjun A,and crime staff as,Syed Anees Pasha,Ashok Tembad,Sathish,Girish, Sadashiv H Belagali,Umesh BC has been appreciated for nabbing the notorious drug peddlers including a Nigerian National who was staying illegally in the city and recovering huge substantce of drugs from them for the commendable and exemplary work done by the Inspector and team a suitable reward will be given to the team he added.

Bengaluru: The Karnataka government is planning to open jewellery retail outlets and promote the yellow metal with ‘Brand Karnataka’ image.

The government is also planning to produce and sell gold coins with state emblem ‘Gandaberunda’ (mythical two-headed bird) embedded in them, and aiming to partner with private jewellers.

“Gold bars will also be sold in the retail outlets.

The state government is planning to produce gold jewellery on the lines of Mysore Silks and Mysore Sandalwood Soaps which have huge market and reputation among customers,” Minister for Mines & Geology Murugesh R Nirani.

He was speaking to reporters after a meeting with Jewellers Association and jewellery designers here.

“This landmark initiative will help government generate more revenue and employment opportunities.

Since gold is one of the most popular investment choices of the people, the government’s venture is expected to achieve great success,” Nirani said.

The success of Mysore Silks promoted by Karnataka Silk Industries Corporation Ltd (KSIC) and Mysore Sandalwood Soaps promoted by Karnataka Soaps and Detergents Ltd (KSDL) has prompted the decision to produce gold coins, jewellery and run shops with brand Karnataka promotion.

Initially the retail outlets will be opened in Tier-1 cities and based on customer response they will be opened in Tier-2 cities.

The government is also planning to set up a Special Economic Zone exclusively for jewellery in the ‘Kalyana Karnataka’ region, where it is proposing to set up a jewellery park in one of the locations.

The government is also planning to rename Hutti Gold Mines Ltd as Karnataka State (Hutti) Gold Mines Ltd.

Bengaluru: The Congress on Thursday announced its candidates for the April 17 byelections to two Karnataka assembly constituencies, fielding Mallamma, the wife of late legislator B Narayan Rao who died of COVID-19 in last September, in Basavakalyan.

Basanagouda Turvihal, who recently joined the party, would be its candidate in Maski segment, a Congress press release said.

The party did not name the candidate for the Belgaum Lok Sabha seat, which will also go to bypolls on April 17.

It, however, declared Ashok Managuli as candidate for Sindagi assembly seat, for which election has not yet been announced. The seat has fallen vacant following the death of senior JD(S) leader M C Managuli in January.

The Congress aims to retain Basavakalyan and Maski, which it had won in the 2018 assembly elections.

The death of Narayan Rao due to COVID-19 in September last year has necessitated the bypoll in Basavakalyan.

Among other factors, Congress seems to be eyeing sympathy wave in favour of Mallamma.

Turvihal was the BJP’s candidate from Maski in 2018 and had lost by a margin of just 213 against Prathapagouda Patil of the Congress, who is now with the BJP.

Maski seat fell vacant following the disqualification of Patil for his role along with others that led to the collapse of the previous Congress-JD(S) coalition government.

The bypolls will be held on April 17 and the counting of votes will take place on May 2.

According to party sources, the candidate for the Belgaum seat is likely to be announced by the end of this week.

By-polls to Belgaum Lok Sabha seat has been necessitated following the death of Union Minister Suresh Angadi of the BJP due to COVID-19 in September last year.

Pramesh Jain

Ramesh Jarkiholi sleaze CD case: Ramesh Jarkiholi CD row gets new twist huge sum of cash found in lady’s house! Prime Suspect Naresh Gowda released video,SIT hunt on for woman :

While the SIT officials who are on the massive manhunt for the suspects in the case,Bhavit and Naresh Gowda,the alleged prime suspect  released a video claiming that they are nothing to do with the case and said that there is a conspiracy to implicate them.

Naresh Gowda released a video and admits that I know the woman in video,approached me stating that she has been cheated and sought help.

I told her to get the evidence and we have had conversation for few times,this does not mean that i have plotted everything.

The reason why i am not appearing before the SIT is for the abvious reasons.However ill appear before them in coming days and clarify.

Its a bigger plot and i have not taken money.I have borrowed loans paying EMI,if i had taken money why will cheque get bounce as if my salary gets late there will be a cheque and I am paying the charges for it.

The police are treating the people who helped the woman,and harassing them and their families,instead of investigating Ramesh Jarkiholi sleaze CD case.

The police instead of helping the woman,they are treating her as accused.

Meanwhile,social activist,Bhimappa Gundappa and Gadad filed a petition with cubbon park police seeking action against Ramesh Jharkiholi.

Based on his petition,the government formed SIT to probe about the CD, but why no action has been taken based on the statement of the woman,he questioned.He further requested the police to initiate action against Ramesh Jarkiholi .

Earlier SIT officials searched the house of the woman and a house in Basaveshwaranagar,  where the prime suspect was staying.

A team headed by Assistant commissioner of police,HN Dharmendra and team searched the house on Wednesday night.Sources in SIT said that they have found some valuables including huge cash,SIM card and eletronic gadgets from her house.

The officials took a search warrant from the court before going for search.They have also recorded the statement of the woman’s building owner.

Upon searching the house of prime suspect the officials found laptop,pen drive and recepit of gold valuables purchased worth few lakh.

The officials are now verifying the source of income to buy gold and the alleged Suspect also organised a grand function of his daughter’s naming ceremony.

The officials have sent the seized devises to Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) to retrieve the deleted data if any.

The SIT team who was in contact with the Belagavi police and the family members of the woman after they lodged a case of kidnap in Belagavi have now taken up the investigation of the kidnap case too.

On the directions of DG and IGP,Praveen Sood the case was transferred to RT Nagar police station. Soon after registering the FIR the case was transferred to SIT.

On the other hand a team is also making efforts to trace the woman.The woman is changing the places for every one or two hours,according to SIT officials.

In continuation of tracking the three prime suspects in the CD scandal,the SIT officials on Wednesday picked up three more persons into questioning who are linked to Tumakuru based journo,a prime suspect in the case.

The SIT officials searched the residence of the detainees situated in Manjunathnagar and seized some documents for analysis.

One among the three picked up for questioning is said to be working for the prime suspect and said to have vital information about the scandal.

The SIT team during probe found a businessman has paid huge amount to the suspects in the case and has paid in cash to the CD gang to release the CD and now he is too absconding.

The SIT team is verifying all the suspects bank account transaction and with other technology skills they are investigating the case in all the angles.

His statement is important for the ongoing investigation,sources,said.

Meanwhile,SIT issued 3rd notice to the woman in CD to appear before them.

This is the third notice issued to her.The officials who are probing the case in all angles says that her statement is crucial for the ongoing investigation.

Though the woman issued a statement recently accusing that she has been cheated and harassed,her statement before the competent authority is considered more reliable and admissible in the court of law said senior officer.

In another development to CD scandal,KN Jagadish Kumar,city based advocate approached city police commissioner,Kamal Pant claiming that guidelines issued after Nirbhaya case has been violated and demanded necessary protection for the woman in CD.

The police and the government bound to provide security for the woman who in her recent video accused Ramesh Jharkiholi of cheating and sexual harassment and requested Home minister for security.

Instead of considering her statement as evidence and registering case against Ramesh Jharkiholi, the government is providing security and treating others as suspects whoever are supporting her.

When Ramesh Jharkiholi filed complaint,the police register FIR but why are they not doing the due diligence when Dinesh Kallahalli filed a complaint seeking detailed investigation into the scandal or when the woman request security through a video,mr Kumar questions.

Drawing parlance to Nityananda CD case,he said, even though the Godman claimed that it was consentual act,the CiD based on the statement of driver registered a case and probe.The same logic should be apllied here too,he demanded.

The victim had in her recent video request home minister for security and said that she has been cheated.Based on this the police should take cognizance and register suo motu case,instead of witch hunt and treating the woman as accused,he said.

He further requested the commissioner in his submission that the police should register a case against Ramesh and investigate in detail.

Pramesh Jain

Hit and run case turned into murder Supari killer, with son and wife held :

The whitefield traffic police probing a hit and run case solved a murder mystery of a 58 year old man where his wife and her son paid supari to a cab driver to kill husband and make it look like accident over property row.

The accused has been identified as,Anil Kumar,GS Devraj,and Yashodamma.

Senior officer told media persons,the deceased son identified GS Devraj from Gunjur filed a complaint that his father killed in an road accident by unknown vehicle in a isolated place near Narige road in Gunjur area of Whitefield on January 21 this year.

Based on complaint,Whitefield Traffic police inspector,SR Manjunath and investigation staff rushed to spot and began to probe the case.

During Mahazar,as,(spot inspection)led the police to suspect something fishy in the case.Later the team informed the same to their senior’s about the incident.

DCP,Traffic East,led a team headed by Whitefield Traffic police inspector to probe the hit and run case and during investigation the team found no CCTV cameras at the accident spot,as the accident was situated in isolated place with no CCTV cameras.

The road has many bad patches and humps and considering the impact of the accident,it was evident that it may be accident but planned so the team started investigating the case in different angles during investigation the police team further verified the CCTV cameras available on the stretch while analysing the CCTV cameras the team find a SUV without registration was passing by.

A closer examination led the police to identify the vehicle and with the help of a sticker on the vehicle,the police found the car is of rental company which rented out the SUV.

The police team visited the rental company checked with them to find that a person identified as Anil Kumar had booked the cab for few days and his phone was switched off.

The team then checked the car and GPS system installed in the vehicle also confirmed that the Vehicle had passed by from the accident spot.

The second call from the call record details revealed that the accused had called Subbarayappa on the pretext of buying his agricultural produce .

The police who recovered the call record detail from the nearest tower dump realized that the call was made to Yashodhamma but she feigned ignorance,during the questioning.

After the accident,the accused borrowed the the phone from a passers by to call Yashodhamma to inform.

The police suspected her role and tracked Anil Kumar who after a detailed questioning confessed the crime and said that he was offered Rs 6 lakh Supari by Yashodhamma and Devraj to kill Subbarayappa.

Anil confessed that he had taken advance of Rs 4.4 lakh and also took the help of his associates Nagesh and Dhanush to kill Subbarayappa.

Anil also told the police that he got the idea from an advocate and worked according.

Accused said during investigation that Devraj and Yashodamma asked him to kill the deceased and even asked him to trap his father in the pretext of buying his agriculture produce.

Based on their idea Anil laid a trap to get Subbarayappa to come on the isolated place where he was killed in an accident.

The deceased Subbarayappa,58,a agriculturist  was on his way to meet client on his moped when an unknown vehicle colluded with his moped.Due to the impact Subbrayappa thrown up and rammed into a roadside tree killing on the spot.

Anil further said that he got the damaged car repaired at a workshop in mulbagilu and paid Rs. 57,000 to get the front portion of the vehicle repaired.

The police seized the replaced front portion of the SUV from the garage and the SUV.

Based on the cab driver Anil Kumar statement,the team detained the son and mother who paid supari to killer and later went to police to mislead  them and filed a complaint of hit and run case.

During investigation the duo confessed the crime and revealed that Subbrayappa had an affair and the family thought he would bequeath property in her name.

Before he could do,the woman and son decided to eliminate to safeguard the property which they are legal heir.

Anil kumar along with,the accused Yashodhamma and Devraj have also been arrested and along with the gathered evidence will be handed over to the law and order police for the future course of action.

Finally Bengaluru Police Commissioner,Kamal Pant has appreciated Joint CP Traffic,Dr BR Ravikanthe Gowda,DCP Traffic East,M Narayan, ACP,Southeast Traffic,Shivashankar Reddy,PI,SR Manjunath,ASI,Muniraju,and Staff as,Venkataswamy,Nagaraju,Sharanbasappa R,Krishnappa,Nataraj,Sunil Kumar AN, Guruprasad and Malappa has been appreciated for their tremendous efforts and meticulous investigation in solving the hit and run case which turned into murder by giving Supari to gain property and for the exemplary work by the Inspector and their team a suitable reward will be given to the team he added.