Dalit youngster in Bengaluru dies of alleged custodial violence; case handed over to CID
Bengaluru: A case of the death of a 23-year-old Dalit youngster at a rehabilitation centre in the city, which gave rise to suspicion of custodial violence, has been handed over to the CID.
The deceased, identified as Darshan alias Singamalai, was a resident of Sonnenahalli and allegedly involved in petty cases in the area, according to a report in Deccan Herald.
Based on a complaint by Darshan’s family, Madanayakanahalli Police had registered a case against Viveknagar Police, who had kept the deceased youngster in custody before sending him to a rehabilitation centre.
According to a senior police officer, on Saturday, November 15, Viveknagar Police personnel had picked up Darshan after he gave rise to panic on the premises of a church by displaying a lethal weapon in hand and also assaulting a police personnel during detention. At the request of the family, however, the police withheld from registering a case against him.
The family members told the police that Darshan was under the drug influence and asked the police officers to admit Darshan into a rehabilitation centre. The deceased was treated at the centre for 11 days.
Darshan’s mother Adilakshmi has accused Viveknagar police of illegally keeping her son in custody for three days and subjecting him to assault during the period. The police personnel, who were pleaded by Adilakshmi not to send her son to jail, agreed and shifted Darshan to Unity Rehabilitation Centre near Nelamangala on November 16.
Shortly after, the family received a call from the centre, informing them that Darshan had died, succumbing to the injuries. Doctors reportedly told Adilakshmi that they found injury marks on her son’s body, giving rise to suspicion of assault.
CK Baba, Superintendent of Police, Bengaluru District, has said that Madanayakanahalli Police have registered an FIR under: BNS 103(1) – Murder, BNS 127(3) SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, Section 3(2)(v). He has added that the FIR names Viveknagar Inspector, police constable, and two others.
The Karnataka DG & IGP has transferred the case to CID for further investigation, the SP has stated.
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Man held for fake campaign against KAS officer; police cite personal hostility
Bengaluru (PTI): In a key development in a cyber defamation case involving social activist Snehamayi Krishna, police on Saturday arrested a man for allegedly circulating fake documents and a fabricated audio clip targeting senior KAS officer and former MUDA Commissioner D B Natesh.
Police said the accused, Vinod, acted out of hostility arising from certain transactions between him and the complainant.
According to a press release issued by the police department, the case was registered on February 18 at the Bengaluru City Cyber Crime Police Station based on a complaint filed by Natesh, former Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) Commissioner.
During the investigation, police found that due to hostility arising from certain transactions between Vinod and the complainant, he contacted Krishna and provided false information, allegedly with the intention of taking revenge for personal gain.
In his complaint, Natesh alleged that Krishna, a resident of Mysuru, had been targeting and harassing him by creating fake documents, morphed photographs and a fabricated audio clip, and uploading them on social media through his Facebook account with the intention of defaming him.
Police said the investigation was taken up accordingly.
It was further revealed that Krishna, without verifying the authenticity of the information received, allegedly circulated it on social media with malicious intent to defame and damage the complainant’s reputation, the release said.
In this connection, a notice was issued to N Vinod, a resident of Bogadi in Mysuru, directing him to appear before the police.
Upon inquiry, and in view of the supporting evidence found against him, he was arrested and will be produced before the competent court, police said.
A notice has also been issued to Krishna to appear for questioning regarding his role in the offence. Further investigation is in progress.
Additionally, another case has been registered against Krishna at the Vidhana Soudha Police Station for allegedly spreading false information and carrying out defamatory propaganda. The matter is under investigation.
During the investigation so far, materials shared by Krishna on Facebook have been collected.
On verifying mobile numbers, vehicle registration details and other evidence, police found that the information circulated was false.
The investigation is continuing, they added.
On Thursday, Krishna had alleged corruption against Karnataka Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh and senior KAS officer D B Natesh, a former MUDA Commissioner.
The government rejected the allegations, stating that due process had been followed and a prior sanction for investigation had already been granted.
Krishna also lodged complaints with the Enforcement Directorate and the Income Tax Department, alleging the exchange of a large amount of cash in Mysuru. He also shared a photograph of a vehicle allegedly used in the transaction.
On Saturday, Krishna apologised to the chief secretary.
“I was brought here yesterday for questioning following a complaint by Natesh that I filed a false complaint, created fake documents, fabricated an audio clip, and posted them on my Facebook page. There was also a complaint against me for making baseless allegations against Shalini Rajneesh,” Krishna told reporters.
The activist said he had received the information through WhatsApp. He added that the person who shared it has also been questioned by the police.
Krishna, however, claimed that his allegations against Natesh are correct. “The information shared with me regarding Shalini Rajneesh is false. I have committed a mistake. I request her to pardon me,” he said.
He added that the investigation will continue.
Krishna was the complainant in the MUDA land allotment case, based on which a case was registered against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, his wife Parvathi B M, her brother Mallikarjuna Swamy and others.
In this case, it was alleged that compensatory sites were allotted to Siddaramaiah’s wife in an upscale area of Mysuru, with a higher property value than the land acquired by MUDA.
MUDA had allotted plots to Parvathi under a 50:50 scheme in exchange for 3.16 acres of her land, where it developed a residential layout. Under this scheme, MUDA allots 50 per cent of developed land to landowners in exchange for undeveloped land acquired for residential layouts.
The Karnataka Lokayukta police, which registered the case against Siddaramaiah, his wife and his brother-in-law, later gave them a clean chit by filing a closure report, which was accepted by the Special Court for trial of public representatives.
