Bannanje Raja comes to Udupi to see his mother in police security
Night stay at city station lock-up
Udupi, July 08: The police have brought underworld fugitive don Bannanje Raja who is in Belagavi jail, to Udupi to see his mother who is suffering from illness, following the permission from the Principal District and Sessions Court of Udupi on Sunday.
As of now, Raja was kept in Udupi city police station lock-up. The police have allowed him to stay with his mother at Kalmadi on Monday from 6am to 6pm.
Court permission
During the hearing at the court, Bannanje Raja who was in Belagavi Hindalga jail had appealed Judge Venkatesh Nayak through video conference to allow him to see his mother as she was ill. His advocate Shantaram Shetty filed an appeal before the court.
Following his appeal, the judge had given permission on July 5 to see his mother and stay with her from 6 am to 6 pm. The court also directed him to bear the expenses of his travel and security and pay it to the police department. Based on that, the DAR police team led by Udupi city police inspector Sunil Kumar went to Belagavi on July 7 and brought him to Udupi on Sunday morning with tight police security. Meanwhile, Raja was subjected to medical check-up at the Kundapura government hospital and brought him to Udupi police station at 6.45 pm.
Tight security around police station
Tight police security was arranged around the city police station where Raja was kept in the lock-up. Armed police personnel were deputed for the security. Before Raja was brought to the station, sufficient police force was deputed around the police station under the leadership of Udupi circle inspector Manjunath. Soon after he was taken inside the police station, the gate was closed and no one was allowed inside.
The police station was equipped with three CCTV cameras to keep a vigil on his movement inside the station where he would stay till July 10 morning. Today, Udupi SP Lakshman Nimbargi and ASP Kumarachandra visited the police station and reviewed the police security. Kundapura DySP Dinesh Nayak was present.
Police security to his house at Kalmadi
Police sources said that Bannanje Raja would be taken to his house at Kalmadi at 7 am with tight police security. The police force has already checked the entire house and inspected it and provided tight police security around the house. Raja was allowed to stay only with his mother from morning to evening. No others would be allowed inside the house. The police would bring him back to the city police station in the evening and keep him till July 10 morning. Later, he would be subjected to medical check-up at the district government hospital and taken to the Belagavi jail, sources said.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Trump unveils fast-track ‘Gold Card’ visa scheme for wealthy foreigners
Washington: President Donald Trump has introduced a new visa programme that offers wealthy foreigners an expedited path to US citizenship in exchange for a minimum payment of $1 million. Announcing the initiative on social media on Wednesday, Trump described the offering, called the Trump Gold Card, as a “direct path to citizenship for all qualified and vetted people.”
According to the scheme’s official website, the Gold Card is aimed at individuals who can demonstrate they will provide a “substantial benefit” to the United States. The programme promises residency in “record time” and requires a $1 million fee as proof of that benefit. Businesses sponsoring foreign employees will need to pay $2 million, with additional charges depending on the applicant’s circumstances. A “platinum” version with special tax incentives is expected to be introduced for $5 million.
Applicants must also pay a non-refundable $15,000 processing fee before their documents are reviewed.
BBC reported that the scheme has drawn criticism from Democrats since its first announcement earlier this year, who argue that it unfairly prioritises the wealthy. When Trump initially outlined the plan, he likened the visa to a green card but stressed that it targeted “high-level” professionals. “We want people that are productive,” he said, adding that those who can pay $5 million “are going to create jobs.”
The launch of the programme comes at a time when the administration has sharply intensified its immigration crackdown. The US has increased fees for work visas and expanded efforts to deport undocumented migrants. Immigration applications from 19 countries, mostly in Africa and the Middle East which are covered under the administration’s travel ban remain paused.
The government has also halted decisions on asylum cases and announced a review of thousands of approvals issued during President Joe Biden’s tenure. In September, Trump signed an order introducing a $100,000 fee for new applicants to the H-1B programme for skilled workers, prompting concern among international students and technology companies. The White House later clarified that the fee applies only to applicants currently living outside the United States.
