Commercial tax officials raid properties linked to Karnataka BJP MLC R Shankar
Haveri, March 15: Commercial Tax department officials have raided the residence and office of BJP MLC and former Minister R Shankar at Ranebennur here.
During the raid on Tuesday night, officials found various items such as sarees, plates and school bags, among others, stocked in large quantities, with Shankar's photo stamped on it. They were allegedly meant to be distributed among voters ahead of the Assembly election, which is likely to be held before May.
Official sources said that the Assistant Commissioner of Haveri has been asked to check the bills of the items and submit a report to the state government. Tax officials are likely to file a case if Shankar fails to provide bills for the items found at the properties linked to him, they said.
Alleging that the raid was part of a conspiracy against him, Shankar on Wednesday said the items found at his place were for distribution to people as part of charity work that he has been doing for several years now, and has nothing to do with the Assembly polls.
"I've been doing this charity work with my own money by selling my property. There is no ill-gotten money in this. I have documents and bills for everything. Without GST, no materials are sold these days, as you are aware," he told reporters, adding that he has been asked to produce the bills and documents of the purchases within the next couple of days.
Expressing displeasure about the BJP's treatment of him, Shankar said he had decided to contest the upcoming Assembly election whether the party gave him a ticket or not. If the party denied him a ticket, he would stand as an independent, he said.
The MLC also indicated that he was open to contesting on the symbol of any other party that would give him a ticket.
Shankar was elected to be the MLA from Ranebennur in the 2018 Assembly election from Karnataka Pragnyavantha Janata Party. He subsequently supported the Congress-JDS coalition government.
Later, he decided to back the BJP during the political turmoil in the state that led to the collapse of the coalition government, following defection of several Congress and JD(S) MLAs. He was one among the legislators who were disqualified following the defection.
The BJP, on forming the government later, did not give him a ticket for the bypoll, but instead made him an MLC. Shankar has also served as a minister for some time.
Commenting on the raid, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said all agencies had been given a free hand under his government. "There is no need for the BJP to get someone raided. Let him (Shankar) give a clarification if there is no wrong doing," he said.
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Truck-rickshaw collision in Bihar kills three people, injures three others
Patna: A speeding truck rammed into an auto rickshaw carrying passengers near the Pragati Petrol pump within the jurisdiction limits of the Chhabilapur Police Station of Nalanda district on Wednesday, resulting in the death of three people on the spot and three others being grievously injured.
The deceased are identified as Kanchan Devi, Dilip Kumar and Bindi Prasad. The injured individuals, Priyanka Devi, Rinki Devi and Ravi Ranjan Kumar, were initially treated at the Rajgir sub-divisional hospital, but, as their condition was critical, they were shifted to the Pawapuri Medical College and Hospital, as advised by the doctors at the Rajgir hospital. While the medical report states that the condition of all the injured is stable, the incident has caused immense distress among their families.
Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP) Sunil Kumar Singh, Sub-divisional Police officer Kumar Omkeshwar, Inspector Sanjay Kumar and Chhabilapur and Rajgir Police Station inspectors visited the hospital and inquired about the three people injured in the accident, reports NDTV, adding that the police are investigating the case.
Sanjay Kumar, SHO of the Chhabilapur Police Station, said that they have registered a case against the driver of the truck for rash and negligent driving. The officer added that the driver was absconding since the accident occurred.
The victims were traveling in an auto rickshaw from Rajgir to Barnaussa on Wednesday, when the accident occurred. The eye-witnesses have called the truck-rickshaw collision as severe, adding that it gave rise to chaos and panic at the accident site.
The accident highlights the persistent problem of reckless driving on Bihar's roads, which frequently results in major casualties, including fatalities. The families of the people affected by the accidents have been urging swift justice and proper support for the victims. The local administration has assured to implement necessary measures to ensure safety of road users and bring those responsible for the accident to justice.
