Voted for NC candidates in RS polls in larger interest of J&K: Jailed AAP MLA
Jammu (PTI): Jailed AAP MLA Mehraj Malik on Saturday said he voted for the NC candidates in the Rajya Sabha polls in the "larger interest" of Jammu and Kashmir, setting at rest claims that he was among those who voted in favour of the BJP candidates.
Malik, who is the president of the Jammu and Kashmir unit of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), was detained under the Public Safety Act (PSA) on September 8 and is currently lodged in the Kathua jail.
"Even after casting my vote for the NC from jail without them ever reaching out or making the slightest effort to seek my support I am now being questioned by some of their leaders. This is the absolute height of shamelessness.
"Let me make it clear: the National Conference was never serious about winning this (the fourth) Rajya Sabha seat. They neither approached me nor showed any intent to build consensus. Still, keeping the larger interests of Jammu and Kashmir in mind, I chose to vote for them believing my vote could make a difference," Malik said in a statement that was uploaded on social media by his party after a meeting with him in the prison.
On Friday, the ruling NC won three seats, while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secured one seat in the first Rajya Sabha polls held in Jammu and Kashmir after it became a Union Territory in August 2019.
Jammu and Kashmir BJP chief Sat Sharma defeated NC candidate Imran Nabi Dar by securing 32 votes against his opponent's 22 in the third notification. NC's Gurwinder Singh Oberoi also got elected under this notification by securing 31 votes, while two other NC members emerged victorious on the two remaining seats that went to polls under separate notifications.
"Unfortunately, now I realised that some among them were already compromised and had decided to side with the BJP. Today, their actions and statements only expose their hypocrisy and double standards," Malik said in the statement.
He said those pretending to be "anti-BJP are the same ones proving their friendship with Sat Sharma".
Moreover, the AAP leader claimed that by fielding a Muslim candidate from the Nagrota Assembly segment, which is slated to go to bypolls on November 11, the NC is only "helping" the BJP consolidate its position, a move that clearly shows where the ruling party's "true loyalties lie".
"The people of Jammu and Kashmir can now see through this political drama. History will remember who truly stood firm and who surrendered for personal gains," the statement said.
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Bengaluru: Four arrested for housebreaking, threats, extortion; fake PSI among accused
Bengaluru: Vidyaranyapura police have arrested four persons, including a man posing as a Police Sub-Inspector (PSI), for allegedly breaking into a house, threatening the occupants, and extorting money while wearing police uniforms.
The arrested accused have been identified as Mallikarjuna, Pramod, Vinay, and Hrithik.
Police said the accused had hatched a plan to pose as police personnel, conduct fake raids, and extort money from residents by intimidation.
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According to the police, Mallikarjuna had failed the PSI examination twice and later falsely projected himself as a PSI. He allegedly conducted photo shoots in his hometown, Siraguppa, wearing a police uniform, baton, cap, and shoes, claiming to be serving as a PSI in Bengaluru.
On December 7, the four accused allegedly went to the house of Naveen in the Vidyaranyapura limits, threatened him with a stick and an iron rod, and claimed they had information that he was selling ganja. Under the pretext of searching, they allegedly extorted ₹87,000 through bank transfer, ₹53,000 in cash kept in the house, and ₹2,000 from his wallet.
Following Naveen’s complaint, Vidyaranyapura police registered a case and launched an operation, leading to the arrest of all four accused. Police have seized ₹45,000 in cash and the car used to commit the crime.
Further investigation is underway.
