Valmiki scam: Case against ED officials for pressuring official to name CM Siddaramaiah, others
Bengaluru, Jul 22: In a major twist in the Rs 187 crore scam in the Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribe Development Corporation, a case was registered on Monday against two Enforcement Directorate officials for pressuring a state government officer to "frame" Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and the Finance Department.
Based on a complaint by Additional Director of the Social Welfare Department Kallesh B, the case was registered at Wilson Garden Police station against two ED officers.
The cases pertain to "joint criminal liability with a common intention, criminal intimidation and intent to provoke breach of peace".
Kallesh has accused an ED official named Murali Kannan and an officer by the surname Mittal.
Besides the Special Investigation Team set up by the Karnataka government, the CBI is also probing the alleged embezzlement of Rs 187 crore, including the illegal transfer of Rs 88 to Hyderabad-based companies.
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The CBI has roped in the Enforcement Directorate to probe the matter, which raided places linked to former minister B Nagendra and Valmiki Corporation chairperson and MLA Basanagouda Daddal. The ED also arrested Nagendra. He is currently in judicial custody.
Kallesh said that during questioning on July 16, Kannan asked him 17 questions and he replied to them promptly. He alleged that Kannan asked him to name former minister B Nagendra, "the highest authority" (referring apparently to CM Siddaramaiah) and the Finance Department.
Further, Kallesh said that Mittal allegedly threatened to frame him in the case and said that if he wanted the ED to help him, he should name the chief minister, Nagendra and the Finance Department.
The complainant claimed that although he was not involved in the crime, he was summoned and threatened, and told to give in writing that the chief minister, the former minister and the Finance Department officials were involved in it.
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B'desh: Lawyer killed in clash between security personnel, followers of Hindu leader
Dhaka, Nov 26: A lawyer was killed on Tuesday during clashes between the security personnel and followers of a Hindu community leader, who was denied bail and sent to jail by a Bangladesh court, according to local media reports.
The victim was identified as Saiful Islam, a 35-year-old assistant public prosecutor and a member of the Chattogram District Bar Association, the Dhaka Tribune newspaper reported.
Citing Dr Nibedita Ghosh, a duty doctor at the emergency department of Chittagong Medical College Hospital, the paper said that six others were injured in the clashes that erupted after Chattogram’s Sixth Metropolitan Magistrate court denied bail to prominent Hindu leader Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, arrested on sedition charges.
Nazim Uddin Chowdhury, president of the Chittagong Lawyers' Association, said that protesters dragged a lawyer from beneath his chamber and hacked him to death.
As Das was being taken away in a police van, he addressed the crowd through a hand mike, urging them to remain calm.
Around 3 pm, the law enforcement agencies resorted to sound grenades, tear gas shells, and baton charges, dispersing the protesters.
Deputy Commissioner of City Police Liaquat Ali confirmed one death but said they were still investigating the cause.
The Daily Star newspaper reported that at least 10 people, including journalists, were injured during the clash.
