Moodbidri Police Inspector accused of sexual harassment; Panambur ACP to investigate
Mangaluru: The City Police Commissioner has directed the Mangaluru (North) Assistant Commissioner of Police to investigate a complaint filed by the wife of a man arrested by Moodbidri Police accusing the station inspector on grounds of sexual harassment.
The complainant’s husband has reportedly been arrested for embezzling money, with Moodbidri Police filing a case against him. The wife has now said that Moodbidri Police Station Inspector Sandesh BG told her that he would produce a rowdy-sheet against her husband unless she had sex with him and paid him Rs 25 lakh.
Several TV channels are also learned to have carried the news of her complaint on Monday. The officers of the State Women’s Commission, who noticed the news, reportedly approached the City Police Commissioner Sudheer Kumar Reddy and requested him to get the matter probed.
Speaking to reporters, Reddy denied having received any complaint filed by a woman against the Moodbidri Inspector. “We will probe the matter and take immediate action upon receiving any such complaint. In the backdrop of the alleged complaint filed against the Moodbidri Inspector, I have directed Panambur ACP Shrikanth to investigate and submit a report. Immediate legal action will be taken as soon as we get the report,” he said.
The senior officer further said, “The complainant is not on good terms with her sister and has also accused the inspector of having been biased in favour of her sister. The matter is in court but we have taken no action against the inspector since he has been carrying out his duties diligently.”
The Commissioner also clarified that, while the woman showed a video clip of the Moodbidri Inspector jumping a wall, the Police Department is unable to take action until the owner of the house files a complaint in the matter.
Reddy added that the complainant had not produced any audio clip as evidence.
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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.
