Shivamogga: Former Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka and senior BJP leader KS Eshwarappa expressed faith in Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Parliamentary Board member BS Yediyurappa ensuring his son Kanthesh was selected as the party candidate from Haveri constituency for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Addressing reporters in the city on Wednesday, Eshwarappa said, "I trust Yediyurappa to live up to his word to ensure that my son Kanthesh not only gets the party ticket from Haveri but also campaigns efficiently and wins the seat. If, however, my son Kanthesh is denied the Haveri ticket, I will discuss the matter with my supporters, who have called a meeting at the Banjara Bhavan in Shivamogga on Friday."
When asked about his son contesting the polls, Eshwarappa said that it was not only a matter of continuing his political legacy, but ensuring support to the BJP in future as well. "We are also trying to save the party by correcting the mistakes we had earlier committed," he added.
He said that he would not wish to contest the current election from Haveri and clarified, "My supporters have been urging me to contest. If a situation arises requiring me to do so, I will contest with the Shivamogga ticket, not Haveri."
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Kochi (PTI): A special court here will complete proceedings for framing charges against the prime accused in the 2010 hand-chopping case involving professor T J Joseph, in which PFI activists were accused of attacking him at Muvattupuzha.
Ernakulam Special Court for NIA cases judge P K Mohandas, on April 30, heard the arguments of counsel for accused Savad and Shafeer C and decided to proceed with framing charges against the duo.
A group chopped off Thodupuzha Newman College professor Joseph's right hand in July 2010, accusing him of religious blasphemy in a question paper he had prepared.
The case, later taken over by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), resulted in the conviction of 19 accused.
The first accused, Savad, who allegedly chopped off Joseph’s palm, was arrested in Berram in Mattannur, Kannur, in January 2024, where he had allegedly been hiding under the pseudonym Shajahan.
The NIA also arrested Shafeer, who allegedly arranged shelter and provided logistical support to Savad at Chakkad and Mattannur in Kannur since 2020.
On April 30, the court heard the counsel for the accused and the NIA prosecutor on framing charges against the duo.
"On going through the documents and evidence in the case and on hearing the counsel for the accused and the prosecutor, I am of the opinion that there are grounds for presuming that the first accused has committed offences punishable under provisions of the IPC, the Explosive Substances Act and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, and that the second accused has committed offences punishable under the IPC and the UAPA, and there are materials for framing charges under these provisions against the accused," the court said.
The court directed that Savad be produced and Shafeer, who is on bail, appear before it on May 15 for recording their pleas as part of the charge-framing process.
After framing the charges, the court will schedule the trial in the case.
