'Why do I need RCB? I don't even drink Royal Challenge': DK Shivakumar on buying IPL franchise
Bengaluru: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar has dismissed speculation about his alleged interest in purchasing the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).
Addressing the media, Shivakumar, who is also the president of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee, rejected the rumours in characteristically blunt fashion. “I am not a mad man. Why do I need RCB? I don’t even drink Royal Challenge,” news agency ANI quoted him as saying.
The Congress leader mentioned that although he had been a member of the Karnataka Cricket Association since his youth and received offers to join the franchise’s management, he simply does not have the time to get involved.
“Though I had offers to be part of the management, I don’t have time. My own educational institutions, I have resigned and left it to other members of the family to take care of it,” he added.
The rumours surfaced shortly after reports suggested that Diageo Plc, the British distiller and current owner of RCB through its Indian unit United Spirits Ltd, might be exploring the sale of part or all of the RCB franchise.
However, the rumours were ended in a mail to the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), with Mital Sanghvi, the company secretary, informing the regulating body of the Indian Stock Market, "The company would like to clarify that the aforesaid media reports are speculative in nature and it is not pursuing any such discussion. This is for your information and records."
Meanwhile, the Karnataka Congress government has been under fire from the opposition BJP and JD(S) following a tragic stampede outside M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on June 4 during RCB’s IPL victory celebrations. The incident claimed eleven lives and has sparked widespread criticism over crowd management failures.
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3 Indians arrested in Canada for shooting outside home
Ottawa (PTI): Three Indian nationals have been arrested by Canadian police on an anti-extortion patrol and charged after bullets were fired at a home.
Harjot Singh (21), Taranveer Singh (19) and Dayajeet Singh Billing (21) face one count each of discharging a firearm, and all have been remanded in custody until Thursday, the Surrey Police Service (SPS) said in a statement on Monday.
The suspects were arrested by patrol officers after an early morning report of shots fired and a small fire outside a home in Surrey's Crescent Beach neighbourhood, the LakelandToday reported.
On February 1, 2026, the SPS members were patrolling in Surrey’s Crescent Beach neighbourhood when reports came in of shots being fired and a small fire outside a residence near Crescent Road and 132 Street.
The three accused were arrested by SPS officers a short time later, the statement said.
SPS’s Major Crime Section took over the investigation, and the three men have now been charged with Criminal Code offences, it said.
All three have been charged with one count each of discharging a firearm into a place contrary to section 244.2(1)(a) of the Criminal Code.
The investigation is ongoing, and additional charges may be forthcoming. All three have been remanded in custody until February 5, 2026.
The SPS has confirmed they are all foreign nationals and has engaged the Canada Border Services Agency, it said.
One of the suspects suffered injuries, including two black eyes, the media report said.
Surrey police Staff Sgt. Lindsey Houghton said on Monday that the suspect had refused to comply with instructions to get out of the ride-share vehicle and started to "actively resist."
"As we were trained, he was taken to the ground and safely handcuffed," said Houghton.
A second suspect with a black eye was also injured in the arrest after refusing to comply, Houghton said.
The arresting officers were part of Project Assurance, an initiative that patrols neighbourhoods that have been targeted by extortion violence.
Houghton said the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) is also involved because the men are foreign nationals, and the trio may face additional charges.
It's not clear if the men are in the country on tourist visas, a study permit, or a work permit, but Houghton said CBSA has started its own investigation into the men's status.
Surrey has seen a number of shootings at homes and businesses over the last several months, but there's been an escalation since the new year.
