BSY dismisses bribe payment charge as 'malicious', says I-T probe found documents to be fake
Congress has accepted their defeat even before the battle begins
Bengaluru, Mar 22: The BJP's Karnataka chief B S Yeddyurappa on Friday rubbished as "atrocious and malicious" the allegation that he had paid.
Rs 1,800 crore as bribe to the party top brass, after the Congress demanded a Lokpal probe into the issue.
The allegation has been already inquired into by the Income Tax department and it has been found that documents are "fake", the former Karnataka Chief Minister claimed, terming it as a "closed chapter". He accused the Congress of raising the issue as it was "frustrated" over its "imminent defeat" in Lok Sabha polls.
"To be frank all the issues being raised by Congress including one raised by them today about alleged payment of crores of rupees has been already inquired and it was found that documents are fake," Yeddyurappa said in a statement.
He said the Income Tax department officials found that the documents, signatures and handwritten notes were forged.
"Congress leaders who are apt in carrying out all these atrocious and malicious campaigns have planted this story in the media to gain political mileage in the coming elections," Yeddyurappa said.
"Above all issues raised by Congress leaders are irrelevant and false. The issue is a closed chapter," he added.
Citing a media report, the Congress on Friday sought an investigation by the Lokpal into allegation that bribes of Rs 1800 crore were paid by Yeddyurappa to the BJP's top brass.
Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala, addressing a press conference in New Delhi, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi should come forward and clarify.
Accusing the Congress and its leaders of being bankrupt of issues and ideas, Yeddyurappa said, "They don't have any development issues to discuss in public.
"Congress leaders are frustrated with the growing popularity of the Prime Minister Narendra Modiji and BJP. They have realized that their defeat in the 2019 elections is imminent. They have lost the battle before it begun."
Surjewala said the report by Caravan magazine cited a diary containing details of the alleged pay-offs to senior BJP leaders and it was seized by the Income Tax Department during raids.
"Prima facie, this is a case of investigating all BJP leaders, right from the PM and downwards.
"It is a fit case to be investigated by the newly appointed Lokpal," he said.
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South African police arrest suspect in mass shooting that killed 12, including 3 children
Johannesburg (AP): A 32-year-old suspect has been arrested in connection with a mass shooting which claimed the lives of 12 people including three children at an unlicensed pub earlier this month, South African police said on Monday.
The man is suspected of being one of the three people who opened fire on patrons in a pub at Saulsville township, west of South Africa's capital Pretoria, killing 12 people including three children aged 3, 12 and 16.
At least 13 people were also injured during the attack, whose motive remains unknown.
According to the police, the suspect was arrested on Sunday while traveling to Botlokwa in Limpopo province, more than 340 km from where the mass shooting took place on Dec 6.
An unlicensed firearm believed to have been used during the attack was recovered from the suspect's vehicle.
“The 32-year-old suspect was intercepted by Limpopo Tracking Team on the R101 Road in Westenburg precinct. During the arrest, the team recovered an unlicensed firearm, a hand gun, believed to have been used in the commission of the multiple murders. The firearm will be taken to the Forensic Science Laboratory for ballistic analysis,” police said in statement.
The suspect was arrested on the same day that another mass shooting at a pub took place in the Bekkersdal township, west of Johannesburg, in which nine people were killed and 10 wounded when unknown gunmen opened fire on patrons.
Police have since launched a search for the suspects.
South Africa has one of the highest homicide rates in the world and recorded more than 26,000 homicides in 2024 — an average of more than 70 a day. Firearms are by far the leading cause of death in homicides.
The country of 62 million people has relatively strict gun ownership laws, but many killings are committed with illegal guns, according to authorities.
According to police, mass shootings at unlicensed bars are becoming a serious problem. Police shut down more than 11,000 illegal taverns between April and September this year and arrested more than 18,000 people for involvement in illegal liquor sales.
