Mangaluru: Bizmen convicted in cheque bounce cases; court orders over Rs 18 lakh in fines
Mangaluru (Karnataka), May 1 (PTI): Two Udupi-based businessmen have been convicted and sentenced in separate cheque bounce cases by a court here, with judgments delivered within a year of the cases being filed.
The verdicts were pronounced on Wednesday, according to court officials.
The 9th Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) court, presided over by Judge Dr Shilpa Byadgi, ordered Prakash Acharya of Vishwa Constructions to pay a fine of Rs 14.40 lakh in a case filed by Mangaluru-based Ken Enterprises.
The complaint was filed after a security cheque issued by Acharya bounced due to insufficient funds. If he fails to pay the fine, Acharya will undergo six months of simple imprisonment.
Of the total fine, Rs 14.35 lakh has been ordered as compensation to the complainant.
In a separate case, Ravi Kumar, another businessman from Udupi, was directed to pay Rs 4.05 lakh in fines to the same complainant.
He will face four months’ imprisonment if the amount is not paid. Rs 4 lakh from the fine is to be paid to the complainant as compensation.
Both cases were filed in 2024 and concluded within a year.
Advocate Sukesh Kumar Shetty represented the complainants in both matters.
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Opposition raking up Dalit CM issue to divert attention: Karnataka Minister
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Monday accused the opposition of "unnecessarily stoking" the debate over a Dalit Chief Minister to deflect attention from governance.
He asserted that only the Congress has the commitment to elevate a Dalit leader to the top post.
Speaking to reporters here, Parameshwara said the ongoing discussion on a Dalit Chief Minister was being amplified by opposition parties.
“This is the work of the opposition. To hide their own failures, they are raising the issue of the Chief Minister. Isn’t the administration running smoothly? Isn’t the Chief Minister governing?” he asked.
The Minister noted that for the past 10–12 days, detailed budget discussions had been held across departments and governance was progressing normally.
Parameshwara, who is a Dalit, said the Congress alone had the history and political will to make a Dalit Chief Minister.
“Yes, it must be the Congress party. Who else will do it?” he said, while clarifying that the timing of any such decision would be determined by the party high command.
On Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s media statement targeting the JD(S) and invoking social justice, Parameshwara said Siddaramaiah had earlier been part of the JD(S) and even served as its president before being expelled.
He noted that the internal history of that party was best known to those within it and declined to comment on specific internal matters.
Defending the Chief Minister’s ideological position, Parameshwara said Siddaramaiah’s politics had always been rooted in social justice and that there was nothing new or opportunistic about his stance.
The Chief Minister, he said, had consistently built his political career on that foundation.
