Bollywood actor Faraaz Khan dies at 46 in Bengaluru
Bengaluru: Actor Faraaz Khan, known for starring in movies such as "Fareb" and "Mehndi" in the 1990s, passed away in Bengaluru on Wednesday. He was 46.
The news of his demise was shared by actor-filmmaker Pooja Bhatt on social media.
"With a heavy heart, I break the news that #FaraazKhan has left us for what I believe, is a better place. Gratitude to all for your help & good wishes when he needed it most.
"Please keep his family in your thoughts & prayers. The void he has left behind will be impossible to fill," Bhatt said.
Khan, son of late Bollywood actor Yusuf Khan, was admitted to Vikram Hospital in Bengaluru last month after suffering multiple seizures.
His family members, Farhad Abousher and Ahmed Shamoon, had started a fundraising campaign to gather funds for his treatment.
They had said that Khan had been suffering from a cough and an infection in his chest for nearly a year and it aggravated recently.
Khan suffered seizures thrice when he was being taken to the hospital and it was later diagnosed that he had a "herpes infection in his brain that had spread from his chest".
Bhatt had last month urged people to offer financial support for Khan's treatment. Following this, superstar Salman Khan had paid for Khan's medical expenses.
Khan had marked his debut in Bollywood in 1996 with Vikram Bhatt-directed "Fareb". He found fame after he featured as Rani Mukherjee's husband in the social drama "Mehendi".
His film credits also include movies such as "Prithvi", "Dulhan Banoo Main Teri", "Dil Ne Phir Yaad Kiya" and "Chand Bujh Gaya".
Khan also starred in many TV shows such as "Achanak 37 Saal Baad", "Lipstick", "Ssshhhh...Koi Hai" and "Raat Hone Ko Hai".
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BJP's Siroya seeks probe into ex-minister's claim of vote purchase to help Siddaramaiah win in polls
Bengaluru (PTI): BJP Rajya Sabha member Lahar Singh Siroya has urged the Election Commission to take note of former Union Minister C M Ibrahim's reported remarks on the alleged purchase of votes during the 2018 Karnataka Assembly elections to help Siddaramaiah win from Badami segment.
In a letter to the ECI on Tuesday, the Rajya Sabha member said Ibrahim, who was Siddaramaiah's close associate and advisor for decades, has said that he, along with senior Congress leader B B Chimankatti, helped purchase 3,000 votes in 2018, so that Siddaramaiah could scrape through the assembly election from the Badami seat.
Siddaramaiah has reportedly denied Ibrahim's charges.
In a post on 'X', Siroya said, "In the final count, Shri Siddaramaiah's victory margin in Badami was a mere 1696 votes. It was a humiliating margin for a sitting chief minister. The NOTA votes, which were 2007, were higher than his victory margin."
Siroya said Ibrahim, who was a "prominent Congress leader in 2018 and by all references and claims, was in charge of his friend's election," must explain the source and method of the alleged vote purchase.
"Ibrahim will do us a great favour if he tells us how, and from whom, he purchased the 3,000 votes to save his friend. He has also said Shri. Siddaramaiah had paid for this purchase, but took six months to make the payment.
The #ECI may want to take note of this claim of gross electoral corruption from someone who has been a lawmaker and a union minister himself, and order an investigation."
Siroya recalled that Siddaramaiah had defeated BJP candidate B Sriramulu in Badami.
"Perhaps Sriramulu also has some information and insight on how the 3000 votes were purchased. If he speaks, we'll know more on what happened in 2018 when he had contested from two seats, and would have practically won both the seats if this vote purchase had not happened," he said.
Siroya also raised questions about Siddaramaiah's narrow victory in the 2006 Chamundeshwari by-election.
"Now that Ibrahim has spoken about Siddaramaiah's narrow victory in Badami in 2018, he should also open up on the 2006 by-election of Siddaramaiah from the Chamundeshwari assembly constituency. Then too he was his close friend and strategist," he pointed out.
Siroya further said that in 2006, Siddaramaiah fought his first election, after he joined the Congress and his victory margin was only 257 votes.
"Were votes purchased even then? Congress was in power in Delhi. Did they manage a victory for Siddaramaiah then? Who were the officers who conducted that election?" he asked.
Hitting out at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Siroya said: "Anyway, @RahulGandhi, by coming to Bengaluru a few days back, and making wild allegations about electoral rolls, has opened up a can of worms. His party men, including his CM, are more affected than anybody else. We should thank Rahul Gandhi for coming to Bengaluru because what he has ultimately done is destabilise his own government."
The MP said that Rahul is known for his self-goals and this will count as a big one.
"Co-operation Minister KN Rajanna's un-democratic sacking because he contradicted Shri. Rahul Gandhi is the beginning of the Congress' fall in Karnataka," he stated.
K N Rajanna was sacked as Cooperation Minister on Monday for blaming the Congress government for the bogus voting in the 2024 Lok Sabha election.
