Congress spokesman, media coordinator link party unit chief to scam; video goes viral
Bengaluru(PTI): The Congress in Karnataka on Wednesday found itself in a tight spot after a video showed a purported conversation between the party media coordinator M A Saleem and former Lok Sabha member V S Ugrappa attributing the Congress State president D K Shivakumar's involvement in a scam when he was a Minister.
Taking strong exception to the clipping that went viral, Shivakumar said he cannot deny that the conversation did not take place and rejected the content of the conversation.
Acting swiftly, the party expelled Saleem from the party for six years and served a show-cause notice to Ugrappa, who is Congress spokesperson, seeking an explanation in three days.
The conversation is said to be related to the scams in the Irrigation Department in which Shivakumar was allegedly involved when he was Irrigation Minister in the coalition government of Congress- JD(S), which ran for 14 months and collapsed in June 2019.
However, Ugrappa clarified Saleem was only briefing him what the BJP people have been talking about the raids carried out by the Income Tax (I-T) Department since October 7 against three major contractors executing irrigation and highway project on 47 premises in four States, including Karnataka and Maharashtra.
The search and seizure by the I-T officials have resulted in detection of undisclosed income of about Rs 750 crore, the I-T Department said in a statement on Tuesday.
Minutes before the press conference by Ugrappa on Tuesday, Saleem sat next to him and started whispering about the scams.
"Earlier, it was eight per cent. He increased it to 12 per cent. These are all adjustments by DKS," Saleem is heard saying in the purported video.
"Uppar and G Shankar, the one from Hospet in Ballari, whom you know. Uppar is from Bengaluru," Saleem was seen explaining.
When Ugrappa corrected that Uppar is from Vijayapura, Saleem said Uppar's house is right opposite to former Chie Minister S M Krishna's in Bengaluru.
"It's (Irrigation) a big scandal. If dug properly, his (D K Shivakumar) role will also come out. You don't know, sir, the three made Rs 50-100 crore. If they had made so much (of wealth), then guess how much he (Shivakumar) would have made. He is a collection 'giraaki' (extortionist)," Saleem is heard saying.
In reply, Ugrappa said he did not know those things.
"I don't know this. We all made a point to make him (Shivakumar) State president. That's why I am not saying anything. These are the reasons...," Ugrappa is heard saying.
Further, Saleem said Shivakumar stammers these days.
"He stammers these days, maybe because of low BP or something else," Saleem said to which Ugrappa agreed.
Saleem also wondered whether Shivakumar drinks and even gets emotional these days.
He then hailed Siddaramaiah for his strong body language. Shivakumar said the conversation has actually taken place.
Reacting to it, he said the media has shown Saleem and Ugrappa speaking against the party State chief.
"You have shown that they have spoken ill against me. I will not deny it. They have spoken against me. Ugrappa has give a statement in a press conference," Shivakumar said.
He said he has no connection with the content of the conversation.
"I am unrelated to what they have spoken. I was never part of any 'percentage' (share in contracts) and I don't need it. I have no connection with it (share in contracts)," Shivakumar said.
Clarifying his position, Ugrappa held a press conference today and said Shivakumar and former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah are like two eyes and both were dear to him.
Ugrappa said Saleem was briefing him about what the BJP leaders were talking outside. However, the place chosen by him was wrong and he could have spoken in private and not before the media, he clarified.
The developments come well ahead of the crucial bypolls to Sindagi and Hanagal Assembly segments on October 30.
Also, it has come at a time when the party has geared up for the Assembly elections, which is one-and-a-half years away.
The party had also seen in the past the show of strength between the factions of Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah. Ugrappa and Saleem are considered as Siddaramaiah's close aides.
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Congress Corporator's daughter stabbed to death inside college campus in Hubballi
Hubballi (Karnataka), Apr 18: The daughter of a Congress Corporator was stabbed to death by her acquaintance inside BVB college campus here on Thursday after she allegedly rejected his proposal, police said.
The deceased Neha (23), the daughter of Niranjan Hiremath, was a first-year MCA student, they said.
The accused 23-year-old Fayaz, an MCA dropout, has been arrested in connection with the incident, police said, adding that both of them were batchmates during their BCA course.
The entire incident was caught on CCTV camera.
According to the police, Fayaz went inside the college campus with a knife and stabbed Neha five-six times. During the attack, he too sustained injuries and was shifted to the hospital along with the victim. At the hospital, Neha was declared brought dead.
ALSO READ: Double murder in B'luru park: Mother of woman stabbed to death kills daughter's murderer
"During interrogation, he (Fayaz) claimed that the two of them had been in a relationship and that she had suddenly started avoiding him. It needs to be corroborated and verified, but he was arrested immediately," a senior police officer said.
A case of murder has been registered, police said, adding that further investigation is underway.
Narrating about the incident, Neha's father Hiremath said that his daughter had classes from 8 am. At around 4.30 pm, when she stepped out after completing her classes, this person approached towards her and stabbed her nearly six times inside the college campus and she died on the spot.
"He (the accused) was an old student and he had proposed my daughter but she rejected his proposal. She did not like him and she usually stayed away from all this...She refused him saying they both belonged to different caste and that she did not wish to have any relationship with him. Out of anger, he stabbed my daughter," he told PTI videos.
Demanding justice for her daughter, he said that the accused should he hanged to death only then will his daughter's soul rest in peace.
Meanwhile, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah condemned the incident and offered condolences to the family of the deceased.
"An accused has already been arrested in connection with the incident and I have instructed the Director General of Police to conduct a strict investigation and take action to ensure maximum punishment for the accused," he said in a post on 'X'.
He also appealed to people to not take law into their hands.
"In connection with the incident, no one should get agitated and take law into their hands or attempt to disturb peace of the society. It is our duty to get justice for the death of the young woman, in this regard the police department will work hard," he added.
