Rs 30 cr bribe given to CCB officials to cover-up Ambident scam: Ravikrishna Reddy
Bengaluru, Dec 17: Lanchamukta Karnataka Nirmana Vedike president Ravi Krishna Reddy alleged that main accused in Ambident cheating case Syed Fareed has given Rs 30 crore bribe to some CCB officials to cover-up the case.
Speaking to reporters here on Monday, Reddy said that it is said that Fareed has given Rs 30 crore bribe to some of the CCB officials for not interrogating him over the case and investigate his company and Fareed himself has disclosed this to other people. But it was not fair to speak about it without having proper evidences. But going by the investigation into the scam in recent days, they were under moral pressure to disclose the information they have got from reliable sources before the people. With the disclosure of this information, the corrupt police officials would think twice before shielding cheaters, he said.
Bengaluru East DCP Ajay Hilori has got Rs 5 crore each for four cases filed in DJ Halli Police station, while city police commissioner Sunil Kumar got Rs 5 crore, East ACP Seemanth Kumar Singh got Rs 3 crore, CCB previous joint commissioner Sathish Kumar got Rs 3 crore and senior IPS officer Hemant Nimbalkar got Rs 1 crore from Ambident Company, he alleged.
All these officials should undergo Narco Analysis and Brain Mapping tests to uncover the truth in the cheating case. Since the police department has been facing such an allegation, the police department has lost its moral right to investigate the case. So, the investigation should be handed over to CBI, demanded.
The Vedike has been collecting information about the bribe given to politicians. Seeking justice to the people who were cheated by Ambident, Ala, Injaz, Ajmeera and other companies, the Vedike has organized a protest in front of the Gandhi statue at the Mourya Circle in the city on December 18, he said.
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Virudhunagar firecracker unit blast: Toll climbs to 25, Rs 5.5 lakh ex gratia announced
Virudhunagar (Tamil Nadu) (PTI): With most bodies charred beyond recognition, identification remains difficult, police said on Monday, as the toll in the massive explosion at a fireworks unit near Kattanarpatti here rose to 25.
The Virudhunagar district administration has announced Rs 5.5 lakh ex gratia to the kin of deceased.
The accident is one of the deadliest industrial disasters in the region in recent years.
"Bodies were so badly charred that we were able to identify mostly with jewellery that the victims were wearing," a police official told PTI.
He said that the families have not yet claimed the bodies due to the uncertainly in the identities.
The factory owner is absconding, he added.
The accident occurred at the Vanaja firecracker unit, owned by one Muthumanickam, which functions under the Vachakarapatti police station limits.
The unit is reportedly licensed by the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO), Nagpur.
Post-mortem reports have established that the 25 victims, include 22 women and three men, the police official added.
Eight workers, mostly women, are critically injured with 60 per cent burn injuries. Twelve others, including eight policemen, were injured in a second blast on Sunday evening while rescue operations were underway.
Rescue operations were severely hampered for hours, as unexploded materials continued to detonate.
A second blast at 7.20 pm, triggered as an earthmover was clearing debris, caused chaos and injured several responders, including a revenue official.
Meanwhile, sources said about 1,000 people, including the families of the victims and residents of nearby villages, are threatening a road roko, demanding the arrest of the owner of the factory.
Local eyewitnesses, including Ranganathan from the nearby Seervaikarampatti village, described hearing a massive blast that sent "thick black smoke" into the sky.
"Nothing was recognisable. We saw bodies being loaded four at a time into vehicles," he told PTI Videos.
Many of the deceased were from Seervaikarampatti village, with residents claiming that at least 20 victims belonged to their village.
Among those killed was 46-year-old Indrani, a veteran worker of 25 years.
"My mother was the sole breadwinner. My father is disabled and stays home. I have an MSc degree, but I’m working at a petrol bunk to help out, and we haven't even paid my brother's school fees yet," said Madhubala, Indrani’s daughter, while pleading for government employment assistance.
Virudhunagar Collector N O Sukhaputra confirmed that the unit was operating without permission on a rest day.
Preliminary findings suggest the blast originated in a chemical mixing shed, where nearly 40 workers were busy making crackers, a violation of safety norms that typically limit occupancy to four workers per shed.
"Had these workers followed primary safety norms, the casualties could have been minimal," a senior official stated.
Chief Minister M K Stalin has ordered a high-level probe and directed ministers to oversee relief efforts.
The tragedy follows a similar accident in Vembakottai just days earlier, which claimed four lives, intensifying calls for stricter enforcement of safety regulations in the district’s firecracker hub.
The explosion occurred at approximately 3.15 pm on Sunday. Although the fireworks industry is officially shut on Sundays, over 100 workers were reportedly engaged in production.
Later in the day, Sukhaputra said Rs 5.5 lakh ex gratia each has been finalised for the families of 25 persons killed in the explosion.
Speaking to PTI Videos, he said the ex gratia cheques are ready for immediate distribution to the legal heirs.
"Out of 25 deaths, we have finished conducting post-mortems on 22 bodies. Already we have cheques (that) are ready,” Sukhaputra said.
The announcement followed intense demands from grieving relatives for financial security and government employment.
