Mangaluru, August 09: Indian National Trade Union Congress leader Puneeth Shetty alleged that the supporters of youth Congress president Mithun Rai have attacked and threatened him during ‘Quit India’ programme conducted by the district Congress.

There was a high drama at the end of the programme held at town hall here on Thursday. He alleged that he was attacked in front of the party leaders.

When Varthabharati contacted Puneeth Shetty, he said that “After the Quit India programme, the supporters of Mithun Rai attacked me suddenly. More than 15 members attacked me. Mithun Rai has threatened me. Mithun Rai warned of killing me in future as it is just an attack”, he alleged.

“In a recent programme, Mithun Rai followers have tried to attack me. But as it was missed, they have targeted me today. Mithun Rai came to me and threatened that ‘You are an aspirant for Youth Congress president post. If you are not withdrawn, I will kill you’ ”, he alleged.

When he was asked about the rumours that he would be killed like Jaleel Karopady, Shetty said that Mithun Rai used to tell that he had killed Jaleel Karopady. Mithun Rai and his followers Avinash, Chethan and others also warned of killing him like Jaleel, he alleged.  

“He is against me to contest Youth Congress post. I have been participating in Ivon D’Souza’s programmes. He is opposing it. Mithun Rai has been facing many cases of goondaism. Even then he is given gunman protection and a weapon. He is misusing the name of DK Shivakumar. Congress worker is attacking the Congress worker and if the same situation continues, it will be difficult to conduct programmes in the society”, Shetty said.



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New Delhi (PTI): The Enforcement Directorate has registered a forex violation case against a Kerala-based charitable organisation for receiving Rs 220 crore from abroad in alleged violation of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA).

The investigation pertains to Kunhahmed Musliyar Memorial Trust located in Kasargod and its chairman Ibrahim Ahmad Ali, an NRI.

Searches were conducted under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) at two locations in Kasargod on Thursday in connection with the case, the ED said in a statement.

The Trust, according to the ED, received more than Rs 220 crore since 2021 from Ibrahim Ahmad Ali, which was reflected in the books of accounts as "unsecured" loans.

However, no loan agreement, interest rate terms, or repayment schedule were available, and no repayment had been made till date, the probe agency said.

The probe found that these funds were received by Ali from a UAE company named Universal Lubricants LLC.

In the absence of supporting documents and in view of the clarification given under a section of the FCRA, the said loan prima facie qualified as "foreign contribution" under FCRA, the statement said.

According to the ED, the Trust is "not registered" under the FCRA and does not possess the "mandatory permission" or a designated FCRA bank account to receive foreign contributions.

It was found that a part of these foreign contributions was "utilised" for the purchase of agricultural land in India, in violation of the existing regulations.

The search action found that the Trust received Rs 2.49 crore in "cash" from Ali in violation of FEMA provisions.

"During the search, incriminating documents, ledger accounts showing unsecured loans of Rs 220 crore, the cash book of the Trust, and a hard disk containing financial data were seized," the ED said.