Advocate-activist files defamation case against CM Siddaramaiah for calling him "blackmailer"
Bengaluru (PTI): Advocate-activist T J Abraham on Wednesday said he has filed a defamation suit against Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in a special court here for allegedly calling him a blackmailer.
He is among the petitioners who had urged Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot to permit investigation against the Chief Minister in the alleged Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) scam.
“Siddaramaiah in his enthusiasm for vengeance against me made certain public statements. He called me a blackmailer and a person with bad antecedents,” Abraham told PTI.
“You (Siddaramaiah) have taken 14 sites by creating a bogus and illegal claim and you call me a blackmailer! I have filed a defamation case against you. We will see how you will escape,” he said.
In the MUDA case, it is alleged that compensatory sites were allotted to Siddaramaiah's wife in an upmarket area in Mysuru, which had higher property value as compared to the location of her land which had been "acquired" by the MUDA.
The MUDA had allotted plots to Parvathi under a 50:50 ratio scheme in lieu of 3.16 acres of her land, where it developed a residential layout.
Under the controversial scheme, MUDA allotted 50 per cent of developed land to the land losers in lieu of undeveloped land acquired from them for forming residential layouts.
It is alleged that Parvathi had no legal title over this 3.16 acres of land at survey number 464 of Kasare village, Kasaba hobli of Mysuru taluk
Karnataka Lokayukta police, and the Directorate of Enforcement have launched an investigation into the 'scam'.
The Chief Minister has denied any wrongdoing in the alleged scam.
Based on the petition filed by Abraham, the Governor issued a notice to the Chief Minister on July 26 directing him to submit his reply to the allegations against him within seven days justifying why permission to prosecute him should not be granted.
On August 2, Siddaramaiah told reporters: “....further, if you look at T J Abraham’s antecedents, he is a blackmailer. Acting on his complaint is illegal. He has been giving complaints against several people like this. I have not committed any such offence."
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Bihar: Over 150 children fall ill after consuming 'mid-day meal' in Saharsa
Saharsa (PTI): More than 150 children were taken ill after allegedly consuming food that was part of the mid-day meal in a school in Bihar’s Saharsa district, a senior official said on Thursday.
The incident occurred at a middle school in Baluaha village of the district.
The official said that 115 children were undergoing treatment at the Sadar Hospital, while around 50 students were admitted to Mahishi Public Health Centre.
“We received information that several children fell ill after consuming the mid-day meal in Baluaha. The children were initially treated at the primary health centre, but later, many were referred to the Sadar Hospital,” Saharsa District Magistrate Deepesh Kumar told reporters.
“According to doctors, the health condition of the children has improved, but they will be kept under observation for some time. There is no need to panic. Some kids are having mild fever. They are being treated accordingly,” Kumar said.
Meanwhile, family members of some children claimed that a snake was found in the container in which cooked pulses was stored at the school.
Of the 545 students present in the school, 200 had already eaten their meals by the time the snake was spotted, and later complained of stomach ache and vomiting, they said.
Regarding the claims, the DM said food samples have been collected from the school.
“We will be able to comment on this only after the results of the tested samples arrive,” he said.
