Rahul to file nomination from Wayanad on Apr 4; Priyanka may accompany
Kozhikode, Apr 3: Congress president Rahul Gandhi, who is contesting from Wayanad Lok Sabha seat in Kerala in addition to his traditional stronghold of Amethi in Uttar Pradesh, will file his nomination by 11 am on Thursday, senior party leader Ramesh Chennithala said.
Gandhi might be accompanied by his sister and AICC in-charge of eastern Uttar Pradesh, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Congress sources reported.
They said the Congress chief will board a helicopter to Wayanad, about 90 km from here, to file his nomination.
"A roadshow will be held tomorrow, before the filing of nomination papers, in which thousands of party workers will take part," Chennithala told reporters here Wednesday.
Senior Congress leaders, including Mukul Wasnik, K C Venugopal, Mullappally Ramachandran, and Indian Union Muslim League leader K Kunhalikutty are in Kozhikode to make arrangements for the event.
Tight security is in place in Kozhikode and Wayanad districts in view of the high-profile visits.
A senior district police official told PTI that the Congress chief will arrive at 8.30 PM on Wednesday.
"He will stay at the guest house and will leave for Wayanad in the morning. Time and logistics are yet to be finalised," he said.
He said he cannot divulge the details due to security considerations.
The Congress announced on Sunday that Gandhi will contest from Wayanad constituency, besides his traditional stronghold of Amethi.
Gandhi has claimed people in South India "feel hostility" from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said he decided to contest from Wayanad to send out the message that he stands with them.
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Man held for attempting to encroach on 532 acres of forest, govt land near Bengaluru
Belagavi (Karnataka) (PTI): Karnataka Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre on Tuesday said that police have arrested a man for allegedly attempting to encroach upon 532 acres of forest and government land at B M Kaval near Bengaluru by submitting forged documents and obtaining court orders fraudulently.
He said the accused, M B Manmatha alias M B Nemannagowda, had earlier also attempted to claim ownership over 512 acres and 26 guntas of forest and government land in Chikkamagaluru's Mudigere by producing fake records.
In connection with the case, an Assistant Conservator of Forests had lodged a complaint at the Mudigere Circle police station on November 28, following which the Tahsildar also lodged a separate complaint, the minister said in a statement issued by his office.
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Based on these complaints, police registered an FIR and have now taken Manmatha into custody. "The investigation will reveal who were all involved in this conspiracy to encroach upon forest and government land," he said.
The FIR was registered against the accused at Mudigere police station in Chikkamagaluru district on December 13 under Sections 465 (forgery), 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating), 469 (forgery for purpose of harming reputation), 471 (using as genuine a forged document) of the Indian Penal Code and relevant section of the Karnataka Land Revenue Act.
Khandre further claimed that it had come to his notice that some officials and government advocates were directly or indirectly assisting those attempting to encroach upon government and forest land worth thousands of crores of rupees.
The minister said he has written to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah seeking a CID or Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into the matter.
Warning of strict action, the minister said no one attempting to grab forest land using forged documents would be spared and termed the development a "wake-up call".
