Bhatkal: Woman arrested for extorting money from Shivamogga businessman
Shivamogga: In a case concerning criminal extortion, where a Shivamogga businessman was threatened through a phone call and extorted money, the Shimoga CEN station police have arrested the wife of a suspected terrorist who is lodged in jail.
The arrested woman has been identified as Saahira Banu, a resident of Bhatkal.
According to the reports, a Shivamogga businessman received an internet call on July 14 and the caller introduced himself as the rowdy sheeter Hebbat Manja. He threatened and demanded the businessman to send him 5 lakh rupees. When the businessman insisted that he did not have such an amount, the caller resorted to making threats to his life. In the end, the victim deposited 50 thousand rupees to the bank account provided by the caller.
As of recent, the businessman reportedly started receiving calls and messages from unknown mobile numbers. Alarmed by this, he registered a case at the Shimoga Cyber Police Station. The police who began investigating the case arrested a woman named Saahira Banu, from Bhatkal in this regard.
Saahira Banu’s husband Saddam Hussain is imprisoned at the Parappana Agrahara Jail in Bengaluru. Accused of supplying explosives for the Bengaluru Bomb explosion, he has been imprisoned as a prisoner under-trial for 7 years, it is learned. He has been allegedly making threatening phone calls to businessmen and directing them to deposit money to his wife’s bank account, the police informed.
The team lead by Shivamogga CEN Station Inspector K.T. Gururaj participated in the investigation. Further inquiry is underway concerning the case.
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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.
