Duo arrested in fake Mysore Sandal Soap case has close ties with senior BJP leaders, says Kharge
Bengaluru: Rural Development Minister Priyank Kharge has revealed that two BJP activists, Rakesh Jain and Mahaveer Jain, who were apprehended by the police in connection with the fake Mysore Sandal Soap production unit in Hyderabad, have close ties with senior BJP leaders in Telangana and Karnataka.
Addressing a press conference at the Karnataka Congress office on Queens Road in the city, Kharge stated, "The presence of counterfeit versions of the world-famous Mysore Sandal Soap from Karnataka Soaps and Detergents Limited (KSDL) in the market has garnered significant media attention. In early January, Minister for Large and Medium Industries MB Patil received an anonymous call regarding the matter. Patil informed KSDL Managing Director Prashanth. Subsequent investigations revealed that the production unit for the fake Mysore Sandal Soaps is located in Hyderabad."
The minister detailed the investigative process, stating, "Undercover officers visited the unit in Hyderabad, posing as customers with an Rs 25 lakh order. The soap production unit staff accepted the order, and when the officers mentioned visiting the soap factory to collect the order due to its substantial size, the staff provided the address. The investigative team then conducted a raid on the factory, seizing production materials."
Kharge informed reporters that FIRs have been filed against Rakesh Jain and Mahaveer Jain, who are now in police custody. "During questioning, they confessed to being BJP activists associated with Telangana BJP MLA Raja Singh," stated the minister.
Expressing suspicion, Kharge suggested that as active party workers, the duo likely had close connections with BJP leaders in Karnataka as well. He also alleged that Rakesh Jain and Mahaveer Jain had been in contact with Manikanth Rathod, the BJP candidate from Chittapur constituency in the last Assembly polls, and Vitthal Naik, son of former BJP MLA Late Valmiki Naik.
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Delhi records high of 32.7 deg C; AQI remains 'moderate'
New Delhi (PTI): The maximum temperature in Delhi settled at 32.7 degrees Celsius on Sunday, 1.3 notches below the seasonal average, according to the India Meteorological Department.
The minimum temperature was recorded at 20.1 degrees Celsius on Sunday, 1.3 notches below the average for the season, while the relative humidity stood at 46 per cent at 5.30 pm, the IMD said.
The weather department has forecast a partly cloudy sky for Monday with the maximum and minimum temperatures expected to hover around 34 and 19 degrees Celsius, respectively.
The air quality remained 'moderate' at 4 pm, with an Air Quality Index (AQI) reading of 134, a slight drop from Saturday’s 137, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data showed.
According to the CPCB, an AQI between zero and 50 is considered 'good', 51 and 100 'satisfactory', 101 and 200 'moderate', 201 and 300 'poor', 301 and 400 'very poor', and 401 and 500 'severe'.
