Dharmasthala case: BJP demands narco test of witness complainant
Bengaluru: BJP MLC Kishore Kumar Puttur during the assembly session on Monday urged the government to conduct a narco analysis test on the anonymous witness complainant, who had claimed that hundreds of bodies were buried in the village.
Raising the issue during Zero Hour, he said that based on the complaint which alleged that human remains were buried at 13 locations near the Netravathi river in Dharmasthala, the state government had formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT). However, excavation at only the sixth identified site had yielded a male skeleton, while no evidence of bodies was found at other places despite the use of ground-penetrating radar (GPR).
Kishore Kumar noted that media reports had earlier mentioned that the Superintendent of Police had decided to subject the complainant to a narco test before proceeding further. “But till today, no such test has been conducted,” he pointed out.
He also questioned Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s decision to form the SIT in hurry. “Initially, the CM during media interaction had said there was no need for a special probe. But the very next day, he suddenly announced the SIT. This clearly shows that the government has succumbed to the pressure of Leftist forces with an anti-Hindu bias,” Kumar alleged.
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.
41 lakh illicit liquor seized, 1.84 lakh arrested in major drive: K'taka Minister tells Assembly
Belagavi (Karnataka) (PTI): The Karnataka Excise Department has conducted a statewide crackdown on illegal liquor trade over the last two years, resulting in arrests and seizures of alcohol, Karnataka Excise Minister R B Timmapur said on Tuesday.
As many as 1,09,017 people were arrested, and seizures included 13.66 lakh litres of liquor and 27.19 lakh litres of beer, he said in a written reply to a starred question by Harihar BJP MLA B P Harish in the Karnataka Assembly.
The Minister said the enforcement drive covered the financial year 2023–24, 2024–25 up to June, and 2025–26 from July to October, targeting unauthorised liquor manufacture, storage, sale and transportation across the State.
"During this period, statewide enforcement drives resulted in a total of 1,84,570 raids against illegal liquor sales,” Timmapur said.
ALSO READ: BJP accuses Karnataka govt of 'failing' to prevent noise pollution caused by 'azaan'
He noted that 9,179 non-bailable cases and 91,968 bailable and compoundable cases under Section 15(A) of the Karnataka Excise Act, 1965, were registered during the same period.
According to him, there have been no reports indicating that students have become addicted to alcohol due to illegal liquor sales.
The sale of alcohol to minors is strictly prohibited under the Karnataka Excise Act, 1965, and the department has issued periodic instructions to initiate legal action against violators, with strict enforcement and investigation measures in place, the Minister said.
Excise officials are carrying out regular road and night patrols, collecting intelligence, monitoring habitual offenders and conducting raids to identify illicit distillation units, unauthorised liquor outlets and spurious liquor manufacturing centres, he said, adding the department is also enforcing the law to prevent the production, storage, sale and transport of spurious, non-duty-paid and unauthorised liquor.
Regular patrols are being conducted on national and state highways, with suspicious vehicles being subjected to checks.
At the district level, standing committee meetings are held under the chairmanship of Deputy Commissioners, and joint operations are carried out with the police and forest departments to curb excise-related offences.
The department is also conducting awareness programmes through Gram Sabhas and in schools and colleges to educate the public and students about the physical, mental and social health hazards associated with alcohol addiction and substance abuse, Timmapur added.
