Former BJP Minister Maluru Krishnaiah Shetty convicted in Rs 7.17 cr bank fraud case
Bengaluru, Feb 06 (PTI): A special court here on Thursday convicted former Karnataka Minister and BJP leader Maluru Krishnaiah Shetty in a fraud case involving Rs 7.17 crore.
Judge Santosh Gajanana Bhat ruled that Shetty and three others had defrauded a private bank using forged documents. However, the quantum of punishment is yet to be announced.
The case, investigated by CBI, was based on a complaint lodged by the defrauded bank.
The court has found Shetty, along with co-accused Srinivas and Muniraju, guilty of multiple offenses, including criminal conspiracy and forgery.
The fraud dates back to 1993 when Shetty, through his firm Balaji Krupa Enterprises, promised housing board loans to employees of public sector enterprises. By creating fake documents in their names, he secured bank loans, of which Rs 3.53 crore remains unpaid.
The CBI investigation confirmed his involvement in the scam, leading to charges under Sections 120B (criminal conspiracy), 409 (criminal breach of trust), 419 (cheating by personation), 420 (cheating), 467 (forgery), and 471 (use of forged documents as genuine) of the IPC.
Shetty, a former MLA from Maluru, was once a close associate of ex-Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa. As Muzrai Minister in the BJP government, he had gained attention for distributing Ganga water. He had previously spent 24 days in jail alongside Yediyurappa.
After leaving BJP to join the Congress, Shetty returned to BJP in 2017. In the 2023 Karnataka Assembly election, he sought a BJP ticket for the Gandhinagar constituency in Bengaluru, but was denied a nomination in favour of Saptagiri Gowda.
Claiming an internal agreement between the Congress and BJP led to his exclusion. Shetty contested as an independent but secured only 6,781 votes, losing the election.
With the court now holding him guilty in the bank fraud case, Shetty faces fresh legal troubles, awaiting sentencing in the coming days.
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Actor Pravina Deshpande dies
Mumbai (PTI): Actor Pravina Deshpande, known for playing supporting characters in films such as “Ready”, “Gabbar is Back” and “D Day”, has died.
The actor's family shared the news in a post on her Instagram page, saying that Despande breathed her last on Tuesday.
“It is with great sadness that we inform you that Mrs Pravina Deshpande has left for her heavenly abode on 17th February 2026,” the note read.
According to media reports, Deshpande died after a prolonged battle with blood cancer at the age of 60. She is survived by her husband and two children.
Desphande worked extensively in Marathi theatre, shows and films. She gained wider recognition for her work in Hindi cinema.
Some of her popular shows and films were “Pariniti”, “Avagat”, “Ghar Ek Mandir”, “Kumkum - Ek Pyara Sa Bandhan”, “Ek Villian”, “Parmanu” The story of Pokhran”, among others.
She was last seen in the Netflix series, “Taskaree: The Smuggler’s Web”.
The Cine and TV Artistes' Association (CINTAA), a trade union body of actors, wrote on X, “CINTAA expresses its condolences on the demise of Pravina Deshpande ji (member since 2008).”
Deshpande’s colleagues from the film industry also took to social media to express grief.
“Beautiful person. She’d met me in 2017 to audition for our film. It was a very pleasant experience," filmmaker Aditya Kriplani said on X.
Actor Vaishnavi Dhanraj said, “May her soul rest in peace.”
Her last rites were held on Tuesday afternoon at the Hindu crematorium, Chakala Parsiwada, in suburban Andheri.
