CM Siddaramaiah asks PM to order probe into BJP MLA's charge against Muslim cleric
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to order a probe into the allegations by senior BJP leader Basanagouda Patil Yatnal that a Muslim cleric he had shared the dais with had links with the terror group ISIS.
Siddaramaiah said he has openly acknowledged his friendship with Sayed Tanveer Hashmi. “Should there be any truth to the claims about Maulvi Tanveer Hashmi's connections with ISIS, it's imperative for the PM to order a thorough investigation and disclose any related details. If this is not done, then action must be taken against Yatnal for making such false accusations,” the Chief Minister said.
Hashmi has also challenged the Central government to investigate the allegations against him, Siddaramaiah said. Citing reports in a section of the media, the Chief Minister claimed that it has been revealed that the BJP MLA has business ties with Hashmi's family.
“If Tanveer Hashmi has links with ISIS as alleged by Yatnal, did the MLA, who is his business partner, not know about it? What is the reason for keeping silent? The central government should also investigate the reasons for making such an allegation,” he said.
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Thane court acquits man accused of throwing children from building
zThane (PTI): A court in Maharashtra’s Thane district has acquitted a 33-year-old man accused of throwing two children from a building, killing one of them.
In his order on Tuesday, Principal District and Sessions Judge S B Agrawal said the case against Aasif Shabbir Khan lacked direct eyewitnesses and that it depended on a child’s testimony, which was inconsistent.
According to case papers, Khan allegedly threw five-year-old Sayyad Zohan Hussain and four-year-old Zenab Ansari from the second floor of a building in the Kausa area in February 2023. While Sayyad died, Zenab survived.
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The prosecution’s case primarily rested on Zenab's testimony and her disclosure to her mother. The children reportedly called the accused “phatakewala uncle” because he had distributed crackers to them during Diwali.
However, Judge Agrawal noted that the case had no direct eyewitnesses and relied heavily on the word of a child witness whose testimony became inconsistent under cross-examination.
The court pointed out a suspicious delay in reporting the incident and “the FIR itself appears to be an outcome of a concocted story”.
Judge Agrawal also took into account the defence’s submission that the building’s construction was incomplete and that the children may have fallen accidentally.
The court concluded that the prosecution had failed to prove the guilt of the accused beyond reasonable doubt and ordered that Khan be released forthwith.
