Mother of student who went missing 22 years ago files complaint at Dharmasthala police station
Belthangady: Two decades after her daughter mysteriously disappeared during a visit to Dharmasthala, Sujata Bhat (60), the mother of missing MBBS student Ananya Bhat, formally filed a police complaint at Dharmasthala Police Station on Monday evening seeking fresh probe into the matter in light of the recent revealations in the Dharmasthala Mass Burial case.
Earlier in the day, Sujata Bhat, accompanied by her advocate Manjunath N, met the Superintendent of Police of Dakshina Kannada district, seeking justice and a renewed investigation into the case. Based on the SP’s advice, she later visited the Dharmasthala Police Station and submitted her complaint around 8 PM to Sub-Inspector Samarth R. Ganiger.
Ananya Bhat, who was 20 years old and studying MBBS, had gone missing in 2003 after visiting the Dharmasthala temple along with two of her friends. Despite efforts, the family received no information about her whereabouts for 22 years.
The case has gained renewed attention in light of the recent mass burial allegations in Dharmasthala. A former sanitation worker recently submitted a letter to the police, claiming that he had buried several bodies under pressure. He later appeared before the Belthangady court and gave a sworn statement, also producing a human skeleton, which has been sent for forensic examination.
After watching reports of the mass burial allegations on YouTube, Sujata Bhat was prompted to take legal steps. In her statement to the media from the Dharmasthala police station, she said:
"I came here not to accuse anyone. I only want the remains of my daughter, if found, to be handed over to me after a proper DNA test. I want to give her a dignified farewell as per Hindu customs. I don't want anything else."
Police have registered the complaint and assured that further investigation will follow.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
SC seeks ED's response on journalist's bail plea in money laundering case
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to file its response within three days on a bail plea of journalist Mahesh Langa in a money laundering case linked to an alleged financial fraud.
A bench comprising Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi also asked senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the jailed journalist, to file rejoinder, if needed, to the ED's response within two days of it being filed.
The top court fixed the case for further hearing on December 15.
During the brief hearing on Monday, Sibal said a journalist has been facing as many as six cases.
"The journalist is accused of extortion," the counsel for the ED said and sought a short adjournment on the ground that Solicitor General Tuhar Mehta was unavailable at the moment.
The top court on September 8 sought responses from the Gujarat government and the ED on Langa's bail plea.
While issuing the notices on Langa's bail plea, the bench asked, "What kind of a journalist is he?"
"With due respect, there are some very genuine journalists. But there are also people who on their scooter say we are 'patrakar' (journalists) and what they actually do everybody knows," the bench told Sibal.
Sibal replied that these are all allegations.
"In one FIR, he gets anticipatory bail, then a second FIR is lodged and again anticipatory bail is granted but now he is booked under a third FIR for income tax evasion. There are other things also against him," Sibal submitted.
He added that there is a background to the case also.
On July 31, the Gujarat High Court rejected Langa's bail plea in the money laundering case on the grounds that if released on bail, prejudice would be caused to the prosecution case.
On February 25, the ED said it arrested Langa in a money laundering investigation linked to an alleged financial fraud.
He was first arrested in October 2024 in a GST fraud case.
The money laundering case against Langa stems from two FIRs filed by Ahmedabad police on charges of fraud, criminal misappropriation, criminal breach of trust, cheating and causing wrongful loss of lakhs of rupees to certain people.
