No differences in BJP Karnataka unit, says BJP leader Arun Singh
Karnataka Minister Eshwarappa letter row
Mangaluru, Apr 8: BJP national general secretary in-charge of Karnataka Arun Singh said on Thursday there were no differences between Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa and senior Minister K S Eshwarappa.
Talking to reporters at the airport here, Singh said he had spoken to Eshwarappa and cleared the air.
There was no confusion in the party and all leaders were united, he said.
State Rural Development Minister Eshwarappa had recently kicked up a row in the party by writing to the state Governor against the Chief Minister, complaining that the latter was interfering in the affairs of his department.
Singh, however, said Eshwarappa should not have written such a letter to the Governor.
Singh said he will be campaigning for the April 17 by-elections to the Belagavi Lok Sabha seat and two assembly constituencies of Basavakalyan and Muski in the next three days.
"The Congress is certain to lose in all the three seats," he claimed.
BJP workers were working hard to ensure the victory of party candidates and the good works done by the Yediyurappa government will be reflected in the poll results, he said.
He declined to comment on the statement of rebel MLA Basanagouda Yatnal that there will be leadership change in the government soon.
Singh later proceeded to attend a private function of BJP state chief Nalin Kumar Kateel.
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NIA court to complete framing of charges against 2010 hand-chopping case accused on May 15
Kochi (PTI): A special court here will complete proceedings for framing charges against the prime accused in the 2010 hand-chopping case involving professor T J Joseph, in which PFI activists were accused of attacking him at Muvattupuzha.
Ernakulam Special Court for NIA cases judge P K Mohandas, on April 30, heard the arguments of counsel for accused Savad and Shafeer C and decided to proceed with framing charges against the duo.
A group chopped off Thodupuzha Newman College professor Joseph's right hand in July 2010, accusing him of religious blasphemy in a question paper he had prepared.
The case, later taken over by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), resulted in the conviction of 19 accused.
The first accused, Savad, who allegedly chopped off Joseph’s palm, was arrested in Berram in Mattannur, Kannur, in January 2024, where he had allegedly been hiding under the pseudonym Shajahan.
The NIA also arrested Shafeer, who allegedly arranged shelter and provided logistical support to Savad at Chakkad and Mattannur in Kannur since 2020.
On April 30, the court heard the counsel for the accused and the NIA prosecutor on framing charges against the duo.
"On going through the documents and evidence in the case and on hearing the counsel for the accused and the prosecutor, I am of the opinion that there are grounds for presuming that the first accused has committed offences punishable under provisions of the IPC, the Explosive Substances Act and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, and that the second accused has committed offences punishable under the IPC and the UAPA, and there are materials for framing charges under these provisions against the accused," the court said.
The court directed that Savad be produced and Shafeer, who is on bail, appear before it on May 15 for recording their pleas as part of the charge-framing process.
After framing the charges, the court will schedule the trial in the case.
