Shankar Poojary is innocent; we are trying for his acquittal - Mubarak Ali of Udupi clarifies
Udupi, Sept 01: Mubarak Ali of Udupi informed that they were putting every possible effort for the acquittal of Shankar Poojary of Kundapur Taluk Aangalli Kalanje, who was arrested by Kuwait police for allegedly carrying drugs containing prohibited molecules while flying to Kuwait from his native place.
Addressing a press conference here, Mubarak Ali admitted that he had sent three types of medicines with Shankar on the basis of a prescription issued by KMC's doctor for his cousin Tasleem Fatima.
Besides giving the medicines prescribed by the doctor after purchasing them from the city's medical shop to Shankar Poojary, he had also sent homemade desserts, he informed.
I had given medical prescription and bills along with the medicines. But Shankara Poojary did not carry the bills. The Kuwait police arrested Shankar at the Kuwait airport on June 13 due to lack of proper documents for taking the medicines. After 20 days we learned from Shankar's wife Jyoti about his arrest, Mubarak Ali said.
Then we went to Kundapur police station and discussed with the inspector there. He then introduced us to Gopal Kalanje, general secretary of the BJP’s SC District Morcha, who is the neighbor of Shankar Poojary.
Later, as per his instruction, I submitted doctor's certificate, MRICD to Udupi MP Shobha Karandlaje and Mangaluru MP Nalin Kumar Kateel along with his letters. Also contacted the Indian Ambassador to Kuwait in Kuwait and making every effort to get Shankar released.
Shankar Poojary is innocent.
But Jyoti and Karnataka Rakshana Vedike President Ansar Ahmed are giving false statements without knowing the truth. But we have continued our struggle to get Shankar without paying heed to their statements. Shankar Poojary is innocent, and the problem was that the drugs we sent are banned in Kuwait. We were unaware of it. We will continue to put all our efforts and help him to get released," Mubarak Ali said.
Gopal Kalanje was present at the press conference.
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Separate nodal officer in all districts to prevent female foeticides in Karnataka: Minister
Belagavi (PTI): Accepting that the female foeticide has not stopped in the state, Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao on Tuesday said that the government is taking strict measures to prevent it.
The minister said the government is appointing separate nodal officers in all districts and tightening measures to prevent foeticide, which he called a "social evil".
He also assured that the government will consider strengthening legislation to control such activities.
The minister was responding to a question by BJP MLC C T Ravi in the Legislative Council.
"Female foeticides have certainly not stopped. If you look at the sex ratio, there is a lot of difference. I accept that this is happening," Rao said.
"Foeticides are not happening under pressure; voluntarily, it is happening, for not wanting a girl child. These things are happening based on the sex determination of the foetus at some hospitals. Sex determination is illegal, but with the advancement in technology, portable ultrasound machines have been developed, which can be easily carried anywhere, and scans and tests can be done. This needs to be controlled. We will bring it to the notice of the central government," he said.
In some districts and in a few hospitals, a higher number of male child births is happening. It is found with the help of intelligence input, the minister said.
"Information is being gathered on the taluk in which the male-female ratio is worsening, what is happening in which hospital, and appropriate action is being taken to crack down on such a network, after proper evaluation."
Decoy operations have been done at seven places in the last two years, to identify those involved in illegal activities linked to female foeticides, and actions have been taken against officials and hospitals involved, he said, adding that more needs to be done on priority.
Responding to a question by Ravi about whether any stringent legislation is being brought, Rao said, the government will consider strengthening the legislation and making it stricter to control this.
"Some amendments have been made to the existing laws in the last two years....advanced technology and the internet is being used to carry out such things, also oral medicines for abortions are available over the counter.
We need to look into bringing legislation to control them. The Food and Drug Administration has issued instructions to pharmacists that the sale of such drugs should be documented."
The minister also said that measures are also being taken for the effective implementation of the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PC & PNDT) Act, and awareness is being created against the identification of female foetuses and female foeticide.
