Mumbai Building Collapse: Zubair and Muzammil were at home spending time with their sister Zeenat when the building collapsed on Tuesday morning. They were among the 14 people who died in the mishap. Zeenat had a miraculous escape and survived the crash.

NDRF personnel carry out the rescue operation at the site of the building collapse in Mumbai’s Dongri
MUMBAI: 

A visit by two relatives of a woman staying in the decades-old building which collapsed in Mumbai’s Dongri area ended on a tragic note as they got trapped under the debris and died, officials said today.

When 25-year-old Zubair and his brother Muzammil, 13, went to meet their sister – 23-year-old Zeenat Salmani – a resident of the building, they would have never thought that it would be their last trip.

Zubair and Muzammil were at home spending time with their sister Zeenat when the building collapsed on Tuesday morning. They were among the 14 people who died in the mishap. Zeenat had a miraculous escape and survived the crash.

“Apart from the two brothers, Zeenat’s sister-in-law Sana and her son Ibrahim, who were staying with her in the building, also got trapped under the debris and could not be saved,” Mumbai fire brigade chief Prashant Rahangdale said today.

As Zeenat lay buried under the rubble for over three hours, a fire brigade personnel, while removing some wooden planks, saw her hand moving and pulled her out after a lot of effort.

Describing it as the “golden shake hand with life”, Mr Rahangdale said Zeenat was trapped “very critically” under the debris, comprising heavy iron beams and wooden doors.

After using hydraulic cutters and power tools, Zeenat was pulled out alive from the debris, “in one of the very difficult rescue operations”, he said, while appreciating her courage during that critical time.

She was later admitted to Mumbai’s JJ Hospital, he said.COMMENT

Zeenat Salmani, who escaped only with minor injuries, described those difficult moments by saying, “It was completely dark under the debris, but I could hear some human voices. My legs were stuck in the rubble and I was not able to move.”

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said specific guidance has been given to respective armies so that peace is maintained and the border is managed properly.

Rajnath Singh was making a statement in Lok Sabha on the prevailing situation along Sino-Indian border.

NEW DELHI: 

India and China are respecting bilateral pacts to ensure peace and tranquillity along the border, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said in Lok Sabha on Wednesday.

Making a statement on the prevailing situation along the Sino-Indian border, Mr Singh said there is complete restraint by the armed forces of India and China at Doklam, which saw months long stand-off between armed forces of the two countries in 2017.

The Defence Minister said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping had a summit meeting at Wuhan where it was decided that peace and tranqullity will be maintained at the border.

Mr Singh said specific guidance has been given to respective armies so that peace is maintained and the border is managed properly.

“India and China are respecting bilateral pacts to ensure peace and tranquillity along border,” he said. 

First impression is often the last impression, Modi told MPs, a large number of them first-timers, at the BJP parliamentary party meeting, sources said.

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi Tuesday asked BJP MPs to nurse their constituency by playing a leading role in its development and advised them to take up a cause of human sensitivity like eradication of leprosy or tuberculosis, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi told reporters.

First impression is often the last impression, Modi told MPs, a large number of them first-timers, at the BJP parliamentary party meeting, sources said, as he asked them to work passionately for the development of their areas.

Modi also asked Union ministers to carry out their Parliament roster duty, when they are meant to be present in one of the Houses as a government representative, and said he should be informed if they skip their duty, the sources said.

He has in the past often expressed his displeasure at MPs’ absence from Parliament when it is in session and turned his attention to ministers on Tuesday, saying that attending Parliament is not only meant for MPs.

Joshi in his briefing said that the prime minister told parliamentarians that they should take up a social cause or an issue of human sensitivity as a “mission” apart from carrying out their duties as members of Parliament.

Modi spoke about diseases like leprosy and TB and invoked Mahatma Gandhi.

Asked to inaugurate a hospital for lepers, Gandhi had said that he would rather be invited to put a lock on it, Modi said, stressing on the need to eradicate the disease.

Joshi said the prime minister also noted that India has fixed a deadline of 2025 for eradicating TB against the global deadline of 2030 and asked MPs to work for its removal.

Modi also asked them to work with local authorities for their constituency’s development.

He also referred to aspirational districts, an official term for underdeveloped districts, and asked the parliamentarians to coordinate with authorities to boost their progress.

70 per cent of the city’s water comes from from the Cauvery River and the remaining 30 per cent from Kabini Dam.

BENGALURU: With monsoon playing truant and a severe water crisis plaguing residents of the city, the state government has decided to use treated water from the city’s lakes to meet local needs.

The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), Rural Development and Panchayat Raj (RDPR) and Minor Irrigation Department (MID) officials are encouraging the use of treated water in Bengaluru and other districts. They are also working on a policy decision on the same.

They came to this decision after RDPR minister Krishna Byre Gowda recently tweeted: “Close to 100 lakes in Bengaluru urban, Bengaluru rural and Chikkaballapur district will be filled.

“Good example of recycling and reusing water. Government of India has recommended to all states in June to follow Karnataka model of reusing water. Four years of efforts by Government and Rs 1,000 crore investment behind this water flowing into our lakes.”

This idea also gains significance after Deputy Chief Minister Dr G Parameshwara had recently said that if the water level in KRS reservoir does not rise and there was no rain in the catchment areas, then Bengaluru will suffer a severe water crisis.

He said this because 70 per cent of the city’s water comes from from the Cauvery River and the remaining 30 per cent from Kabini Dam.

BBMP Commissioner Manjunatha Prasad said that there was no sewage in the 93 lakes under the BBMP and the water could be processed and used to meet citizens’ needs.

Also, work on treating water in the diverted sewage lines was underway.

Apart from this, the Minor Irrigation Department has also been sending treated sewage water downstream to lakes in Kolar and Chikkaballapura.

“The minister is referring to this project also. The MID is working on more such projects to meet the needs of people downstream, instead of letting all untreated water flow into the Dakshni Pinakini river,” an MID official said.  

RDPR Principal Secretary L K Ateeq said that the idea was the 100 per cent treatment of sewage water by 2020. The construction of sewage treatment plants by the BWSSB is underway.

Earlier wastewater used to flow into the valleys, but now it is being treated, pumped and supplied to dried-up lakes.

Meanwhile, the BWSSB has also been asked to plug leakages. Only 30 per cent of the problem has been addressed so far.

The top court had on Friday restrained the state Assembly Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar from taking any decision till July 16 on the resignation and disqualification of the rebel MLAs.

NEW DELHI: Ten rebel MLAs of the ruling Congress-JD(S) coalition Tuesday said in the Supreme Court that their resignations “have to be accepted” as there is no other way to deal with the present political crisis and contended that the Speaker has to see only if the resignation is voluntary or not.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi is first dealing with the case of 10 lawmakers who approached the court first.

Starting the argument, Senior advocate Mukul Rohtagi representing 10 MLAs told the apex court that there were instances wherein Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar accepted resignation first and then considered disqualification and cited the case of Umesh Jadhav.

“I am only submitting accept my resignation and then decide on disqualification but speaker by this way is infringing upon my right,” the lawyer said.

On CJIs query on what ground disqualification process was initiated against the MLAs, Rohtagi said, “because they were not acting like displined soldiers of the party and were not attending party meetings.”

“If I (MLA)  resign, I can join another party and become a minister tomorrow but if disqualified, I have to wait for by-election,” the lawyer added.

When CJI asked Rohtagi as to how the Assembly Speaker decides on resignation or disqualification petition, the senior advocate cited Article 190 by which if the MLA submits his resignation to the Speaker at his own wish, the speaker cannot force him against his wish.

“We can’t say how the Speaker should decide resignation or that disqualification of MLAs. We can’t fetter him. The question is whether the Speaker has any obligation to decide resignation before the disqualification, ” CJI Gogoi told Rohatgi.

Rohtagi replied to the apex bench by saying that there could be a million reasons to resign but it was the Speaker’s thinking that resignation was meant to favour other party.

“The fallacy of their argument is that it is based on my motive to resign which is completely irrelevant,” he said.

“Speaker says the reason for resignation is to avoid disqualification but that doesn’t mean that he can keep it pending,” he added further.

Rohatgi told the court that the 10 MLAs resigned on July 6 and disqualification proceedings against two lawmakers were pending.

“When was the disqualification proceedings filed against rest eight MLAs,” the top court asked, to which Rohatgi responded that disqualification proceedings started against them on July 10.

The 10 rebel MLAs moved the apex court alleging that the Speaker was not accepting their resignations.

They are: Pratap Gouda Patil, Ramesh Jarkiholi, Byrati Basavaraj, B C Patil, S T Somashekhar, Arbail Shivaram Hebbar, Mahesh Kumathalli, K Gopalaiah, A H Vishwanath and Narayana Gowda.

Disqualification proceeding is mini-trial under the Constitution’s 10th Schedule, Rohatgi said, adding that resignation is different and its acceptance is based on single criterion — it is voluntary or not.

There is nothing to show the rebel MLAs conspired with BJP, the senior advocate said.

The apex court, which was dealing with the plea of 10 rebel MLAs on July 12, will now be hearing five more lawmakers who have sought identical relief that Karnataka Assembly Speaker K R Ramesh Kumar accepts their resignations as well.

The five MLAs — Anand Singh, K Sudhakar, N Nagaraj, Munirathna and Roshan Baig — mentioned their application before a bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Deepak Gupta Monday seeking an impleadment as parties to the pending plea on which it was ordered that the speaker would not take any decision till Tuesday on the resignations and disqualifications.

The top court had on Friday restrained the Speaker from taking any decision till July 16 on the resignation and disqualification of the rebel MLAs.

The top court had said an incidental question that would arise in the matter is the kind and extent of the directions that should be issued by a constitutional court to another constitutional functionary, which in the present case happens to be the Speaker of the Assembly.

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.