Man impersonating Oman high commissioner arrested in UP's Ghaziabad
Ghaziabad (UP) (PTI): Kaushambi police on Thursday arrested a man impersonating the high commissioner of Oman and having protocol like diplomats in Uttar Pradesh and other states, police said.
The man has been identified as Krishna Shekhar Rana, 66, a resident of Amar Colony in Delhi.
Rana has been booked under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Trans Hindon DCP Nimish Patil told reporters.
Rana was posing himself as a diplomat by creating fake documents to gain undue gain.
A Mercedes car, one identity card and 46 visiting cards were recovered from his possession at the time of his arrest from UP Gate in Ghaziabad.
During interrogation, the accused said he was getting VIP security, according to police.
Last year, Rana became a member of an NGO named India GCC Trade Council whose aim is to increase India's trade with the Gulf countries. Later he became the trade director of the said NGO to augment trade with foreign countries.
The police have confirmed his credentials from the Oman Embassy. According to DCP Patil, Rana was a professor of Zoology at Agra. He also owns Krishna College of Science and Technology in Agra and a resort in Rajasthan.
After retirement, the accused was the Appraisal Authority in the Union Environment Ministry from 2015 to 2018, where his job was to give environmental clearances.
The DCP said during interrogation, the accused claimed to be the vice chancellor of four universities. Kumaun University and Jaipur Technical University have confirmed his tenure to the police.
The police have not received a reply from Almora and Mewar. The police have not yet received a reply from the Environment Ministry either.
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CM Siddaramaiah alleges ‘criminal conspiracy’ in Sringeri recount, vows legal action
Bengaluru (PTI): Alleging a “criminal conspiracy” by BJP candidate D N Jeevaraj in the Sringeri Assembly poll recounting, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said the outcome was manipulated after valid postal ballot votes in favour of Congress leader T D Raje Gowda were tampered with during the recounting process.
Following a Karnataka High Court order on an election petition filed by Jeevaraj, challenging Raje Gowda’s election, the reverification and recounting were conducted on Saturday.
After the reverification and recount of postal ballots for the Sringeri Assembly constituency, votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda were reduced by 255, the returning officer said.
A report on the matter has been submitted to the Election Commission of India for further action, the officer added.
Congress leader Raje Gowda had won the 2023 Assembly polls from Sringeri by 201 votes, defeating his nearest rival Jeevaraj.
Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru, Siddaramaiah said the High Court had directed the recounting of postal ballots and that irregularities were noticed during the exercise conducted on May 2.
“This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” Siddaramaiah said, alleging that valid votes cast in favour of Raje Gowda were altered after being accepted by counting agents of all parties, including Congress, BJP, and JD(S).
He claimed that during the recounting of postal ballots, 255 votes were initially accepted as valid by all agents but were later tampered with by subordinate officials.
“There is a second mark on the votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda. They had accepted these as valid votes. Subsequently, another mark was made by officials. This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” he said.
When asked who was behind the alleged conspiracy, the CM replied, “It was hatched by Jeevaraj and others. It is planned.”
Siddaramaiah further alleged that the returning officer acted improperly by declaring the result despite the presence of an Election Commission observer during the recounting.
“Immediately after the counting, the returning officer announced the result. He should not have done so; this is against the law,” he said.
He pointed out that Raje Gowda had originally won by 201 votes, but after the recounting, the BJP candidate was declared the winner by 52 votes.
“The BJP has committed a criminal act of conspiracy. This is not vote chori but vote dacoity,” he alleged.
The CM said a police complaint had already been filed by Raje Gowda’s election agent, Sudhir Kumar, and emphasised the need for electoral integrity.
“We want transparency and free and fair elections. That is what our Constitution mandates,” he added.
Stating that the government would pursue legal remedies, Siddaramaiah said, “We are preparing an appeal challenging the returning officer’s announcement in a court of law.”
Responding to a separate query on elections in other states, the CM said there appeared to be an anti-incumbency factor in West Bengal, while results in Tamil Nadu were “surprising,” adding that Vijay’s party was emerging as the largest there.
Following the victory of party candidates in Bagalkote and Davanagere South, Siddaramaiah expressed confidence about future electoral prospects in Karnataka.
“Even in 2028, we will win the Assembly elections. We will come back,” the CM said.
Siddaramaiah added that he would order a forensic examination into the alleged tampering of postal ballots.
