CM's son embroiled in controversy after viral video; JD(S) & BJP target Siddaramaiah
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's son Yathindra Siddaramaiah found himself embroiled in a controversy on Thursday after a video, where he was seen issuing certain instructions on the phone, went viral on social media.
Hurling corruption charges against him, former chief minister and JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy hit out at the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, alleging that the conversation was related to the "transfer (of government servants) business".
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, his deputy D K Shivakumar and others from the ruling party said the phone conversations were regarding development of four to five schools using the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds.
Siddaramaiah even said that he would retire from politics if even one instance is presented with proof that he had made money by transferring officials.
In the video, Yathindra, a former Congress MLA, is heard saying, "Hello Appa (Father), Vivekananda! To where? No I didn't give that. Give it (phone) to Mahadeva. I had given only five."
Then he speaks to Mahadeva, saying, "Mahadeva, why are you giving something...? Who has given that? Nothing but whatever 4-5 I have given, that alone should be done."
According to Kumaraswamy, Yathindra spoke to R Mahadeva, a sub-registrar at Ganganagar in Bengaluru, who has been appointed as the CM's Officer on Special Duty.
Demanding an investigation into the whole episode, the JD(S) state president sought to know which list Yathindra was speaking about and who was Vivekananda in the conversation.
Directing his questions at Siddaramaiah, Kumaraswamy asked, "Why did you call him (son Yathindra) and which list is that?"
Taking a dig at the CM, Kumaraswamy said, "What is his (CM's) role? Is it his job to call his son and ask him what to do?"
The BJP too came down heavily on the Chief Minister and his son Yathindra.
"This shadow CM (Yathindra) is more powerful than CM! The ex-MLA Yathindra gave an order to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah that he should do only what 'I have given him' and not more than that," the BJP posted on social media platform X.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is only occupying a nominal position and all power and administration belongs to his son Yathindra, the BJP alleged, remarking that the post of chief minister is "vacant in the state".
Speaking to reporters, Siddaramaiah clarified that the conversation was related to the school buildings being constructed with CSR funds. He claimed that Social Welfare Minister H C Mahadevappa had given the list.
Talking about the video, the chief minister said he would retire from politics if it was shown that he had made money through transfers in his political career.
Shivakumar, also the Karnataka Congress chief, too said the conversation was related to school development with CSR funds.
Yathindra being the member of the Karnataka Development Programme and chairman of the Ashraya Samiti was talking about utilisation of CSR funds to provide benches and other furniture in the schools he had chosen, he said.
Kumaraswamy demanded that the list of schools that the Deputy Director of Public Instructions has provided be made public.
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Sathankulam custodial deaths: Nine police personnel sentenced to death by court
Madurai (Tamil Nadu) (PTI): In a landmark judgment, a court here on Monday handed the death penalty to nine police personnel in the sensational 2020 Sathankulam custodial death case.
Father-son duo P Jayaraj and J Bennix were allegedly assaulted by the convicted policemen in Sathankulam, Thoothukudi district, for allegedly keeping their mobile shop open in violation of COVID-19 norms.
First Additional District and Sessions Judge G Muthukumaran classified the case as the rarest of rare, observing that those entrusted with protecting the public had committed a crime that shook the collective conscience of society.
The court sentenced all nine convicted police personnel to death for the murders of Jayaraj and Bennix.
The convicts include former inspector S Sridhar, former sub-inspectors Balakrishnan and Raghu Ganesh, and head constables Murugan and Saamidurai.
In addition to the capital punishment, the court imposed a combined fine of Rs 1.40 crore on the convicts to be paid as compensation to the victims' family.
While pronouncing the quantum of sentence, the judge said the police are meant to protect the common man, and when they become the perpetrators of such brutality, the law must act as a deterrent.
It also noted that by killing both the father and the son at once, the police had uprooted the very foundation of a family.
The judge stressed that the punishment must be severe enough to ensure such horrors never recur.
The tragedy dates back to June 2020, when Jayaraj and Bennix were picked up for allegedly keeping their mobile phone shop open beyond permitted hours. They were subjected to extreme physical assault while in custody, leading to their deaths at a hospital days later.
Following a massive public outcry, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court took notice of the case, which was eventually investigated by the CBI.
A total of 105 witnesses were examined over a five-year period. Of the initial 10 accused, special sub inspector Pauldurai died during the trial due to health complications.
