Gold smuggling case: Rejecting ministers' links an attempt to influence probe, says BJP
Bengaluru, Mar 11 (PTI): Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly, R Ashoka, on Tuesday said that rejecting reports about two ministers having links to the gold smuggling case involving Kannada actress Ranya Rao even before the investigation is completed is an attempt to influence the probe.
The BJP leader was reacting to Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar's statement on Monday rejecting reports linking ministers with the gold smuggling case, calling them 'political gossip'.
"Investigating agency should say whether the involvement (of two ministers) is there or not. Even before the probe, if clean-chit is given, what value will the investigation agency have? Is a message being sent to the investigating agency to give a clean-chit?" Ashok asked.
Speaking to reporters here, he said, "There are reports in the media about two ministers' involvement. People believe such things. The CBI is also investigating the case, and the state government has also ordered a probe. Even before the investigation if a clean-chit is given, this shows how the Congress runs the administration."
"...whether there is any wrongdoing (on the part of ministers) or not, should be said by the investigating agency. Even before that, if the government says such things, it looks like an attempt to influence the investigation," he added.
Ranya Rao, 34, was arrested by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) on March 3 upon her arrival at Bengaluru's Kempegowda International Airport from Dubai, and gold bars worth Rs 12.56 crore were seized from her.
The next day, the DRI said it seized gold jewellery worth Rs 2.06 crore and cash amounting to Rs 2.67 from her residence in Bengaluru.
Ranya is the stepdaughter of K Ramachandra Rao, a DGP-ranked police officer presently serving as Chairman and Managing Director of the Karnataka State Police Housing and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered an FIR in this case.
The Karnataka government has appointed Additional Chief Secretary Gaurav Gupta to probe the role of Ramachandra Rao, if any, in the alleged gold smuggling activity of his step daughter.
The government also ordered a CID investigation into alleged lapses and dereliction of duty of police officers at the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA), Bengaluru.
Ranya is accused of smuggling gold, allegedly misusing protocol privileges.
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Fired from family business, nephew breaks into uncle's shops in Delhi; arrested
New Delhi (PTI): Delhi Police has arrested a 22-year-old man who allegedly stole cash, a laptop and a mobile phone from his uncle's shop in Dwarka to take revenge after he was fired from the family business, officials said on Wednesday.
Piyush Tulswani, the accused, completed his Class 11 from Rajasthan's Pilani, after which he came back to live with his family, a senior police officer said.
His father, Kishan Tulswani, used to work as a sales manager at his uncle Jeetu's confectionery shops. After the death of his father, Piyush took up his position, the officer said.
Soon, Piyush started embezzling money from the shops, and was fired after Jeetu took note of the act, police said.
His mother also reprimanded him for embezzling money, after which Piyush left home and started living with his friend, the officer said.
Piyush hatched a plot to steal money from his uncle’s shops, which he knew well. Acting on his plan, he took his brother's scooter and broke open each shop, stealing cash, a laptop and a mobile phone.
On January 31, Jeetu reported the matter to police, accusing Piyush of committing burglaries at his shops located in Sector-18, Sector-11, Sector-12 and Sector-4, Dwarka, the officer said.
Jeetu also provided CCTV camera footage from the shops, in which Piyush could be seen breaking them open, he said.
Tracing his mobile phone locations to Safdarjang, Hauz Khas, Rajapuri and Dabri, police conducted several raids.
“He later switched off his phone to restrict access to his location,” the officer said.
On February 13, police received information that Piyush would come to the fruit mandi in Dabri around 9.30 am. Accordingly, a trap was laid, leading to the arrest of the accused, he said.
Initially, he did not confess to the crime, but when police showed him the CCTV clips, he admitted to committing the burglaries, the officer said.
