Kumaraswamy alleges 'cover-up' of Ballari firing, seeks CBI probe
Bengaluru (PTI): Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy on Monday alleged a systematic conspiracy by the Karnataka government to "cover up" the recent Ballari firing incident and demanded a CBI probe into the death of a Congress worker.
He also claimed that the victim’s body was illegally subjected to two post-mortem examinations.
Citing what he described as a "collapse of law and order" in Karnataka, he demanded that the case be handed over to the CBI.
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Addressing a press conference at the JD(S) State office, JP Bhavan, Kumaraswamy said the issue was not just the killing of a party worker but the alleged attempts by the government to shield those responsible.
He accused Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and State Home Minister G Parameshwara of making contradictory statements and "failing" to act decisively.
“As per the information available to me, Congress worker Rajashekhar’s body was subjected to post-mortem examination twice,” Kumaraswamy said.
He suggested that the second autopsy was conducted as part of an effort to "alter the narrative" surrounding the shootout.
He questioned the need for a second autopsy. “What were the findings of the first post-mortem report? What does the second post-mortem report say? Why was a second post-mortem conducted, and who exerted pressure for it?”
Kumaraswamy alleged that pellets were found during the first examination and that a second post-mortem was used to falsely fix responsibility on Gangavathi BJP MLA G Janardhana Reddy.
Calling the state government’s probe "meaningless", the Union Minister said conflicting claims by the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister had eroded public trust.
“Under these circumstances, what kind of investigation can this government conduct?” he asked, reiterating his demand for a CBI inquiry.
Kumaraswamy also questioned the selective suspension of officials. “If the SP is at fault, aren’t the Additional SP and IG also responsible?”
Alleging political bias in the handling of the case, Kumaraswamy charged the government with "protecting" the accused, including a close associate of Ballari MLA Nara Bharath Reddy.
According to him, law and order has completely collapsed in the state.
Tension flared up in Ballari on January 1 after clashes allegedly broke out between supporters of BJP MLA Janardhana Reddy and Congress MLA Bharath Reddy over the installation of banners.
Rajashekhar was killed in the firing and police have detained three private security guards of Bharath Reddy's supporter Sathish Reddy.
The police have arrested 26 people in connection with multiple incidents of violence, including stone-pelting and firing.
The BJP has alleged that this was an attempt to eliminate Janardhana Reddy as petrol bombs were also ferried to the venue, right next to his house in Ballari.
Karnataka Home Minister Parameshwara said the state government was mulling handing over the matter to the CID.
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Real Madrid fines Valverde and Tchouaméni half a million euros each for altercation
Barcelona (AP): Real Madrid slapped players Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni with half-a-million-euro ($588,000) fines on Friday for their altercation during practice.
The massive fines came a day after the midfielders tussled when the team trained. Valverde said in a post on social media on Thursday that no punches were thrown. But Valverde knocked his head on a table and he suffered a small cut that required a brief hospital visit.
On social media, Valverde initially called it a “meaningless fight” with a teammate and said “everything has been blown out of proportion."
His employers, however, considered it a significant enough breach of team discipline to nail both Valverde and Tchouaméni with fines that bite even the bank account of a top soccer player. The half-a-million euro penalties reflect the reputational damage the club was enduring in a chaotic end to a disappointing season.
In a statement, the 15-time European champion said its disciplinary action was concluded after both players expressed to the club “their complete remorse for what happened and apologized to one another.”
Madrid added they also apologized to their teammates, the coaching staff and club supporters, as well as showing their willingness to accept whatever disciplinary action the club deemed “opportune.”
Tchouaméni was back training with Madrid on Friday, two days before they play at Barcelona in a clasico. Madrid has to win otherwise Barcelona will be crowned La Liga champion.
After being notified of the fine, he posted a public apology to the club and its fans on social media.
“What happened this week in training is unacceptable,” Tchouaméni wrote. "I say this while thinking about the example we are expected to set for young people, whether in football or at school.
“Above all, I am sorry for the image we projected of the club.”
Valverde was not at practice due to the head knock.
Both players are set to play in the World Cup next month, with Tchouaméni playing for France and Valverde for Uruguay.
Chaotic end to a poor season
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The run-in between the players, who for seasons have played side by side in Madrid's midfield, came after they argued this week in previous training sessions. But tempers boiled over on Thursday. Spanish media was rife with reports that the players previously disagreed over the club's decision to let coach Xabi Alonso go after just months on the job.
It was not the only altercation involving Madrid players during training this week. Álvaro Carreras confirmed he was in a “minor” incident with a teammate. Spanish media said he and fellow defender Antonio Rüdiger got into a scuffle.
Álvaro Arbeloa, the coach who was promoted from Madrid's reserve team when Alonso was fired in January, will face tough questions on what went wrong inside the changing room when he gives a press conference on Saturday ahead of the clasico at Camp Nou.
Madrid is facing a second consecutive campaign without a major trophy amid rumors in the Spanish media that club president Florentino Pérez is considering bringing back Jose Mourinho to straighten out his underperforming team.
