Karnataka Congress leaders, Kumaraswamy rally behind Shivakumar, condemn arrest
Bengaluru, Sept 3: The arrest of senior Congress leader D K Shivakumar by the ED came in for condemnation from opposition leaders in Karnataka on Tuesday with former chief minister Siddaramaiah and H D Kumaraswamy and accusing the BJP of using central agencies to "oppress voices of dissent".
On his part, Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa said law will take its own course and said he would be more happy than everyone if the former minister comes clear of the charges.
Soon after the arrest of the Kanakapura MLA in New Delhi in a money laundering case, his supporters held protests at nearby Ramanagara and in Ballari.
Congress sources said the party has given a call to its district units for staging protests on Wednesday against the arrest of Shivakumar.
The Congress troubleshooter from the state was arrested under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) after he appeared before the Enforcement Directorate for questioning for the fourth time on Tuesday at its headquarters in Delhi.
Condemning the action, Siddaramaiah alleged opposition leaders were being targeted using central government agencies.
"It is just an attempt to divert the attention from structural failures of @BJP4India govt & also to prevent the voices of dissent. @DKShivakumar is also a victim of their vindictive politics," he said in a series of tweets.
Shivakumar would definitely come out clean and the whole country would understand the "ulterior motives" of the BJP, he said.
"We are all with him in this difficult times & shall provide him with full support," the Congress legislature party leader said.
Kumaraswamy said the ED has cited non-cooperation as the reason to arrest Shivakumar after days of interrogation, without allowing even a day's break for the (Ganesh Chaturthi) festival.
"The ruling govt is using investigation agencies to oppress those opposition leaders who they think are a threat to their interests," he charged in a tweet.
Yediyurappa said they were not happy about Shivakumar's arrest.
"I pray to God that he should come out from everything.
I have neither hated any one in my life, nor have I wished bad for any one. Law will take its course. If he comes out (of the charges) I will be more happy than any one," the chief minister told reporters here.
The Karnataka unit of Congress and the Youth Congress also slammed the arrest of Shivakumar, a troubleshooter for the party and said they stood by the leader.
"Despite full cooperation in investigation D K Shivakumar is arrested by ED. This is political vendetta & High handed tactics against Congress by BJP," the state Congress tweeted.
In a statement, the state Youth Congress said "We stand by our leader D K Shivakumar ji. Such attempts to insult and humiliate leaders only reflect the BJP's fear of others, cowardice to admit their mistakes & incompetence in directing our country in crisis."
Opposition leaders are being targeted each & every day using central govt agencies. It is just an attempt to divert the attention from structural failures of @BJP4India govt & also to prevent the voices of dissent. @DKShivakumar is also a victim of their vindictive politics.
— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) September 3, 2019
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.@DKShivakumar will definitely come out clean & the whole country will understand the ulterior motives of @BJP4India. We are all with him in this difficult times & shall provide him with full support.
— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) September 3, 2019
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After days of interrogation, without allowing even a day's break for the festival, ED now cites non-cooperation to arrest @DKShivakumar. The ruling govt is using investigation agencies to oppress those opposition leaders who they think are a threat to their interests.
— H D Kumaraswamy (@hd_kumaraswamy) September 3, 2019
New Delhi: A supporter of Congress leader DK Shivakumar being cries as he is dragged away by police personnel outside RML Hospital, where the leader has been taken for medical testsLet the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Bus helper held for stealing USD 1,600 from Iranian woman's purse in Delhi; money recovered
New Delhi (PTI): The Delhi Police has arrested a bus helper and recovered USD 1,600 that was allegedly stolen from the purse of an Iranian woman who had forgotten it on a private bus at ISBT Kashmere Gate, an official said on Sunday.
The incident came to light on December 15, when a complaint was lodged at the ISBT Kashmere Gate police post by Dr Ali Akbar Shah, a professor at Delhi University and a resident of Mukherjee Nagar, the police said.
He informed police that his guest, Fareshteh Sayanjali, an Iranian national, had arrived in India on December 13 and was staying at his residence, they said.
The woman had travelled to Uttarakhand's Rishikesh and was returning to Delhi on December 15 in a bus. While de-boarding at ISBT Kashmere Gate around 1.45 pm, she inadvertently left her purse on the bus seat, the police officer said.
After some time, she received a phone call from the bus operator informing her that the purse had been found in the vehicle. However, when the purse was handed back to her, she discovered that USD 1,600 in cash kept inside was missing," the officer added.
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Based on Dr Shah's statement, an FIR was registered at Kashmere Gate police station on December 16, and an investigation was taken up, police said.
During the investigation, the team questioned the driver and conductor of the bus in which the woman had travelled, police said.
During questioning, the conductor told police that Monish, the bus helper, found the purse lying abandoned on a seat and handed it over to him, police said.
Monish initially attempted to mislead the investigators, but later confessed to stealing the US dollars from the purse, police said
Following his disclosure, Monish was arrested on December 17 and recovered the entire stolen amount, police said.
The accused, Monish, 26, is a resident of Jahangirpuri in north Delhi.
He has studied up to Class 10 and has been working as a helper with the private bus service for the past year, they said.
