FIR registered against D K Shivakumar for poll violation: EC
Bengaluru, Apr 20: An FIR has been registered against Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar for violation of the Model Code of Conduct for allegedly promising water supply in exchange of votes to residents of a housing society near here, the Election Commission said on Saturday.
The matter came to light after the BJP approached the poll body seeking action against Shivakumar after a video of him seeking votes from the residents of a housing society in Bengaluru Rural Lok Sabha segment was shared widely on social media platforms.
Taking to social media platform 'X', the office of the Chief Electoral Officer of Karnataka said that an FIR is lodged by the FST (Flying Squad Teams) of Bengaluru against Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar for violation of MCC while addressing apartment owners in RR Nagara.
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The FIR has been registered at RMC Yard police station under appropriate sections of the Indian Penal Code for bribery and undue influence at elections, it stated.
In the video clip, Shivakumar was purportedly heard saying that he had come for a "business deal" and if the 2,510 houses in the housing society -- 6,424 votes -- went to his candidate, he assured them that their major issues concerning supply of Cauvery river water and need for a civic amenity site would be resolved by him within three months.
Shivakumar's brother D K Suresh is seeking re-election from Bangalore Rural in the Lok Sabha elections.
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Rohith Vemula not a Dalit, says police in closure report
Hyderabad, May 3: Police have filed a closure report before a local court in its probe into the death of Rohith Vemula, a student of University of Hyderabad, claiming he was not a Dalit and died by suicide as he feared that his "real identity" would be discovered.
The Cyberabad police that investigated the case informed the court that Rohith Vemula did not belong to Scheduled Caste and that he was aware of it.
Vemula died by suicide in 2016. "The deceased had multiple issues worrying him which could have driven him to commit suicide," the report said.
"In addition to this, the deceased himself was aware that he did not belong to Scheduled Caste and that his mother got him a SC certificate. This could be one of the constant fears as the exposure of the same would result in a loss of his academic degrees that he earned over the years and be compelled to face prosecution."
Further, the report said, "Despite best efforts, no evidence could be found to establish that the actions of the accused have driven the deceased to commit suicide."
The then UoH vice-chancellor Appa Rao Podile and incumbent Haryana Governor Bandaru Dattatreya were among the accused.
Vemula's death snowballed into a political controversy with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi taking on the Central government in Parliament and the then Union HRD Minister Smriti Irani slamming alleged attempts to project it as a caste battle.
