Congress alleges commission in accounts of MLA Sunil Kumar’s close aide
Karkala MLA Sunil Kumar is facing fresh allegations of corruption as the Karkala KPCC campaign committee president, Shubadrao, has claimed that the MLA's close aides have received deposits of Rs 25,000 each in their accounts as commission.
Speaking at a press conference on Saturday, Rao also accused Kumar of canceling all agreements made by the Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Limited (KPTCL) for the poor vehicle owners agreement and making a single tender for 603 vehicles at a higher rent rate of Rs 45,000 per month, owned by his close friend.
Rao alleged that commission money of Rs 13,000 for one vehicle and Rs 80 lakh for 603 vehicles is being paid, in which Rs 25,000 per month is being deposited in the accounts of 60 close aides of the MLA. He also drew attention to a similar tender process initiated by HESCOM, CHESCOM, GESCOM, BESCOM and MESCOM, which floated a tender for more than 1000 vehicles, where 210 vehicle owners of Mescom division brought a stay order from the court.
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Rao questioned whether the money received by 60 MLA's close-aides was not commission money and criticized BJP workers, saying that they were being used for the selfish ends of their leaders. He promised benefits such as Rs 2,000 per month through the Grihalakshmi scheme, free electricity to alleviate financial burdens, and job opportunities for the educated unemployed, emphasizing that a Congress-led government would prioritize the welfare of the people.
Former municipal councilor Vivekananda Shenoy, campaign committee member Dinakar Shetty Nitte, and others were present at the press conference. The allegations of corruption against the MLA have caused a stir in the Karkala constituency, and many are questioning the transparency of the tender process initiated by the MLA. The BJP has not yet responded to the allegations.
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Malaysian Indian sentenced to jail and caning for raping Indonesian woman in Singapore
Singapore (PTI): An Indian-origin Malaysian man was sentenced in Singapore to 12 years' jail and 12 strokes of the cane for raping a domestic worker outside a train station after tricking her into thinking that he was a police officer.
Sharveen Chetty, 48, pleaded guilty on February 4 to one charge of raping the 35-year-old Indonesian woman in the bushes outside Exit F of a subway, Little India Mass Rapid Transit station, at about 8pm on July 11, 2022.
The victim was with her friends at the time, but Chetty lured her away before he sexually assaulted her, according to a report by The Straits Times on Thursday.
Two other charges – a second rape charge and a charge of impersonating a police officer – were taken into consideration during sentencing on Wednesday.
The witnesses who testified on the first day of the trial included a doctor from Women’s and Children’s Hospital who examined the victim a day after the rapes, and forensic scientists from the Health Sciences Authority.
Chetty had initially contested the charges in a High Court trial that began on February 3. But he changed his mind and pleaded guilty on what would have been the second day of the trial, according to the daily report.
In sentencing, Justice Dedar Singh Gill considered it aggravating that Chetty had targeted the victim because she was a foreigner who might be unfamiliar with the local authorities.
The judge rejected the defence's arguments that the rape was not premeditated.
The judge, however, noted that Chetty had pleaded guilty before the victim and key prosecution witnesses testified, thus sparing her and her friends from going through cross-examination.
The prosecution had sought a sentence of between 11 and 13 years’ jail and 12 strokes of the cane, noting Chetty’s extensive efforts to disguise himself, and his predatory act of leading the victim away from the rest of the group.
Chetty admitted that he became sexually attracted to the victim.
