Karnataka Government to settle PM Modi’s pending Mysuru hotel bills of Rs 80.6 Lakh
Mysuru: The Karnataka government has announced that it will cover the hotel expenses amounting to Rs 80.6 lakh for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s stay at Radisson Blu Plaza during his visit to Mysuru in April 2023. The announcement came after the hotel threatened legal action if the dues were not settled by June 1, 2024.
Prime Minister Modi stayed at the hotel while attending the inauguration of the 50th anniversary of Project Tiger, an event organized by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) and the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MoEF).
Addressing the media on Monday, May 27, Karnataka Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre explained that the excess expenditure of Rs 3.33 crore incurred during the event should have been covered by the NTCA, but due to the model code of conduct in place for the Karnataka Assembly elections, the state government has agreed to settle the hotel bills to avoid further issues.
ALSO READ: Mysuru hotel owner threatens to take legal action for non-clearance of Rs 80 lakh bill for PM’s stay
“The event was a Union government program with an allocated budget of Rs 3 crore, but the actual expenditure rose to Rs 6.33 crore due to short notice. While the Union government disbursed the initial Rs 3 crore, the remaining amount was left unpaid,” Khandre said.
The Hindu reported that the State Forest Department was directed to organize the event from April 9 to 11 with a budget of Rs 3 crore, assured of full financial support from the Union government. However, costs escalated beyond the initial budget, leading to a shortfall of Rs 3.33 crore.
On September 29, 2023, Karnataka’s Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) wrote to the Deputy Inspector-General of NTCA, New Delhi, requesting the settlement of the outstanding dues. The NTCA responded on February 12, 2024, stating that the additional expenses should be borne by the state government. A reminder was sent on March 22, 2024, highlighting the pending hotel bills for the Prime Minister’s stay.
With no payment forthcoming, Radisson Blu Plaza’s Finance General Manager wrote to the Deputy Conservator of Forests, Basavaraju, on May 21, 2024, reminding him of the dues and indicating that delayed payments would incur an 18% annual interest.
In light of these developments, the Karnataka government has decided to reimburse the hotel to resolve the matter.
Let 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.
Jharkhand horror: Man kills live-in partner, chops body into 40 pieces
Ranchi (PTI): A 25-year-old man, who works as a butcher, allegedly strangled to death his live-in partner and chopped her body into 40 to 50 pieces in a forested area in Jharkhand’s Khunti district, police said on Wednesday.
The accused, identified as Naresh Bhengra, was arrested.
The matter came to light after around a fortnight after the killing when a stray dog was found with human body parts near Jordag village in Jariagarh police station on November 24.
Bhengra was in a live-in relationship with the deceased, a 24-year-old woman also from Khunti district, in Tamil Nadu for the past couple of years. Sometime back, he returned to Jharkhand, got married to another woman without telling his partner anything and went back to the southern state without his wife to join her.
"The brutal incident occurred on November 8 when they reached Khunti as the accused who had married another woman did not wish to take her home. Instead, he took her to a forest near his house at Jordag village in Jariagarh police station and chopped the body into pieces. The man has been arrested," Khunti Superintendent of Police Aman Kumar told PTI.
Inspector Ashok Singh who investigated the case said the man worked in a butcher shop in Tamil Nadu and was expert in slicing chicken.
“He admitted chopping the body parts of the woman into 40 to 50 pieces before leaving those in the forest for wild animals to feast on. The police recovered several parts on November 24 after a dog in the area was seen with a hand," Singh told PTI.
Singh said that the woman, who was unaware of his marriage, pressured him to return to Khunti. After reaching Ranchi, they boarded a train on November 24 and headed to the man's village.
"Under a plan, the man took her to Khunti in an autorickshaw near his home and asked her to wait. He returned with sharp weapons and strangulated her with her dupatta after raping her. He then cut the body into 40 to 50 pieces and left for his home to live with his wife," Singh said.
The woman, however, had informed her mother that she had boarded a train and would be living with her partner, the police officer said.
Following the recovery of body parts, a bag was also found in the forest with the murdered woman's belongings including her Aadhaar card. The mother of the woman was called at the spot and she identified her daughter's belongings.
"The mother suspected the man behind the crime who after being nabbed by the police admitted to chopping the woman into pieces," the official added.
The incident has sent shockwaves among people in the region, with the Shraddha Walker murder case of 2022 still fresh in their memory.
Walker was killed by her live-in partner who chopped her body into pieces before dumping them in the jungle in South Delhi’s Mehrauli.
