Karnataka Congress 'patronised' radical outfits, alleges former minister Roshan Baig
Bengaluru: Expelled Congress leader R Roshan Baig has alleged that the party in Karnataka had patronised "extreme radical" organisations for over a decade and that MLA R Akhanda Srinivasa Murthy, targeted in recent mob fury here, was a victim of SDPI's 'violence'.
A former state minister, he also claimed the "tacit understanding" was now backfiring on the Congress.
"The Karnataka Congress patronised extreme radical organisations like SDPI for over a decade and I had raised voice against this from day one," he claimed in a statement posted on his Twitter handle.
His charge was dismissed by Charamarajpet Congress MLA B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan, who sought to turn the tables on him, hinting the former had an understanding with the SDPI and was trying to distance himself from the outfit now.
Baig, who has been expelled from Congress for 'anti-party' activities, claimed he had been requesting a ban on these organisations but to no avail.
His allegations come at a time when the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) has come under the Police radar with the arrest of four of its members for alleged involvement in the August 11 violence at K G Halli and D J Halli areas over a social media post by Murthy's nephew.
Baig, a former Shivaji Nagar MLA, also slammed the Congress for "not backing" its two MLAs Tanveer Sait and Murthy "even when they were direct victims of the SDPI's violence".
Sait was stabbed at a function in Mysuru a few months ago while Murthy's house was reduced to ruins by the rioters on August 11.
Attacking Baig, Khan alleged the former was distancing himself from SDPI and targeting Congress because he might have sensed he may face the heat of police investigation (into the riot).
"Why did the SDPI contest the Shivaji Nagar assembly by-polls. It had never entered the fray whenever Baig was fighting the election? Baig should explain who had fielded SDPI to divide the minority votes and defeat the Congress," he said.
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Udupi: Two men from Belthangady awarded life imprisonment for attempt to murder a woman in 2022
Udupi: Two men from Belthangady have been sentenced to life imprisonment by a court in Udupi for attempting to murder a woman in Manchikumeri in 2022.
The sentenced men, Mithun and Nagesh Poojary, are learned to have attempted to murder Sumathi, wife of Ramanath Rai, a resident of Manchikumeri, who had a Nandini Milk Parlour at Tiger Circle, Manipal.
On February 18, 2022, Sumathi was reportedly alone at home when, at around 7 pm, Mithun, learned to be her nephew, and his friend Poojary came to the house. As Sumathi opened the door, the duo barged in and tried to strangulate her with an intention of murdering her. Sumathi reportedly lost consciousness under the attack.
The men packed her body in a sack and were then putting the sack into a suitcase to carry the body out, when they noticed that Rai and neighbours had arrived. They are learned to have opened the door when Rai knocked the door and then tried to escape. They were, however, caught by the neighbours and handed over to the police.
Further, Sumathi was found by the group in an unconscious state inside the suitcase in the house. She was rushed to the Manipal Hospital and learned to have recovered after a week of medical treatment.
A case had been registered at the Manipal Police Station.
The Udupi Principal District and Sessions Court judge Kiran S Gangannavar, who heard the case, has declared both Mithun and Poojary guilty in the case. He has awarded them life imprisonment, fined them Rs 20,000 each and, under Column 325, sentenced them to rigorous imprisonment of 5 years and fined them Rs 5,000 each.
Judge Gangannavar has directed that, of the fine, Rs 45,000 be handed to the attack victim Sumathi as relief.
Jayarama Shetty represented the government as Public Prosecutor.
