Puducherry (PTI): A man posing as an Enforcement Directorate officer was arrested here late on Sunday as he called on some MLAs at their residences here and sought details of their income and assets, police said.

Independent legislator Shivashankar, who represents the Oulgaret constituency, told PTI that the person came to his home tonight and claimed he was from the Chennai office of the Enforcement Directorate.

The legislator said the "fake person" came on a scooter that he had allegedly taken on rent and sought details from him on the wealth he acquired during the last few years.

Shivasankar said he suspected the person's identity and "I asked for the official ID card from him which he said he did not have."

When asked about the phone number of his office, the man said he did not have it, the MLA said.

His doubt became stronger and he immediately contacted the police in Reddiarpalayam and handed the person over to them.

Shivasankar said the person told him that his name was Arun Kumar alias Alwar.

The MLA said the person met seven legislators in Puducherry including those belonging to the ruling BJP and the Congress.

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Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday ordered the immediate suspension of an executive engineer for the Bowring and Lady Curzon Hospital wall collapse that claimed the lives of seven people, during a high-level review meeting at Vidhana Soudha.

A compensation of Rs 5 lakh, as announced by the CM Siddaramaiah, was distributed to the families of seven victims who lost their lives in the tragedy on Wednesday evening, which occurred due to heavy downpour with gusty winds and hailstorm.

The meeting of municipal commissioners of the five corporations, chaired by the chief minister and attended by Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, focused on fixing accountability and examining lapses that led to the tragedy.

"Why was soil dumped in a way that damaged the wall? Why did you not monitor this?" Siddaramaiah asked, pulling up hospital authorities during the meeting.

A statement from the chief minister's office said that the CM ordered the immediate suspension of the executive engineer of the Karnataka Health Systems Development Project (KHSDP).

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He also questioned the hospital authorities, asking why they failed to monitor the dumping of soil that weakened the structure.

The chief minister directed that a notice be issued to the head of the Hospital.

During the meeting, Siddaramaiah said the rains had caused extensive damage in the city, with over 250 trees uprooted.

The Chief Minister instructed officials to take necessary measures before the onset of the monsoon to avoid untoward incidents.

Commissioners of all five municipal zones in Bengaluru have been asked to take precautionary steps, including trimming dry and dangerous tree branches, the CMO said.

Siddaramaiah also directed them to get the silt cleared from stormwater drains to prevent flooding, and that immediate action be taken to remove debris and fallen branches from roads.

Further, he instructed that barricades be placed at underpasses where water stagnates and restricts public movement.

The Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) Chief Commissioner M Maheshwar Rao said in a statement that Shivajinagar MLA Rizwan Arshad distributed compensation cheques of Rs 5 lakh each to the families of the deceased on Thursday.

Seven people, including a six-year-old girl, were killed and seven others injured when the compound wall collapsed amid heavy rain, strong winds and a hailstorm on Wednesday evening.

Police said the victims, comprising three from Bengaluru, two from Kerala on a study tour and one each from Uttar Pradesh and Assam, had taken shelter near the wall when it suddenly gave way, trapping them under the debris.

The chief minister questioned officials over the dumping of soil near the wall despite knowing it could weaken the structure, and directed that a notice be issued to the head of Bowring Hospital.

Siddaramaiah, who had visited the spot soon after the incident along with senior officials, reviewed the situation and ordered a detailed probe into the collapse.