Cong set to finalise list of appointees to key positions in state-run boards & corporations
Bengaluru (PTI): Ruling Congress in Karnataka appears set to finalise the list of party legislators and workers to be appointed to key positions in various state-run boards and corporations, during the visit of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar to New Delhi from Monday.
Shivakumar, who is also the state Congress President, said a list has already been sent to Congress high command for its approval.
"We will definitely finalise it and come, we have already sent the list and proposal, as there were elections (in five states) and as there was Assembly (session) there was a delay. Both the Chief Minister and I are going, we will finalise and come," he told reporters here ahead of leaving for the national capital.
Responding to a question on the Chief Minister reportedly getting an appointment to meet the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he merely said, "okay, we will meet."
According to the Chief Minister's tour plan shared with the media, he will be travelling to Delhi this evening and meeting Union Ministers there on Tuesday, while his return journey has been kept open. There is no official word on his meeting with the Prime Minister yet.
In case Siddaramaiah meets the PM, he is likely to take up several key issues concerning the state including delay in release of drought relief by the Centre, party sources said.
The Deputy Chief Minister, who is travelling to Delhi ahead of the Chief Minister, will be meeting some Union Minister this evening and also on Tuesday. His return journey too has been kept open.
Congress in Karnataka had prepared a list of party legislators and workers to be appointed to key positions in various state-run boards and corporations last month, in the presence of party General Secretary in-charge of Karnataka Randeep Singh Surjewala, even as there seems to be some differences among leaders over the process, with Home Minister G Parameshwara openly saying he was not consulted on the exercise.
There has been some disgruntlement and growing impatience within a section of the Congress party, with legislators, who could not make it to the Ministry and were keenly aspiring for the key posts in boards and corporations, unhappy about the delay in appointments.
Also many party men are upset over the delay in rewarding loyal workers, noting that the Congress has been in power for more than six months now.
Shivakumar had recently said that both Congress legislators and party workers would be appointed to these positions, and indicated that about 15 to 20 party MLAs and MLCs would be accommodated, and the rest would be distributed among loyal party workers.
Appointments to boards and corporations are said to be among the issues on which Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar had certain differences of opinion, according to party sources.
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BMW hit-and-run case: HC refuses to release accused Mihir Shah on ground of 'illegal' arrest
Mumbai (PTI): The Bombay High Court on Monday refused to release Mihir Shah, the main accused in a BMW hit-and-run case, on the ground of "illegal" arrest.
Shah, the 24-year-old son of a former Shiv Sena leader, and his driver Rajrishi Bidawat had filed petitions in the HC claiming they have been illegally detained and sought immediate release.
Shah was arrested on July 9, two days after he allegedly rammed his BMW car into a two-wheeler in Mumbai's Worli area, killing 45-year-old woman Kaveri Nakhwa and leaving her husband Pradeep injured.
His driver Bidawat, who was also present in the car at the time of the accident, was arrested on the day of the incident.
As per their pleas, the police had not informed them the grounds of their arrest at the time, which they claimed was in violation of the law.
A division bench of Justices Bharati Dangre and Manjusha Deshpande on Monday dismissed the petitions.
"Both the petitions are dismissed," the court said.
The duo sought their release, claiming any further detention would be in utter violation of the constitutional mandate and a failure to comply with Section 50 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.
Under this section, the police, while arresting a person, have to communicate to him/her full particulars of the offence for which he/she is being arrested or other grounds for such arrest.
Both Shah and Bidawat are presently in judicial custody.
In their habeas corpus (produce the person) petitions filed in the HC in August, Shah and Bidawat claimed their detention was illegal and sought that they be released immediately.
Shah, in the plea, sought quashing of the orders passed by a local court remanding him first in police custody and then judicial custody.
He also sought for his arrest to be declared as illegal.
Shah is accused of speeding off towards the Bandra Worli Sea Link after the accident, even as the woman remained on the bonnet of the car and then got entangled in its wheels, for a distance of more than 1.5 kilometres.
As per police, Shah, who fled from the scene, was under the influence of alcohol at the time.
Mihir Shah's father and former Shiv Sena leader Rajesh Shah had also been arrested in the case, but was later granted bail.
