HC expresses displeasure over absence of MP Prajwal Revanna during hearing of election petition
Bengaluru, Jun 17: The High Court of Karnataka on Friday expressed displeasure over Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna not being present during the hearing of an election petition (EP) challenging his election. The court witnessed the chief examination of the EP filed by one G Devarajegowda, a voter from the constituency.
The matter came up for hearing before Justice K Natarajan.
Justice Natarajan who is on the roster in the Dharwad Bench was in Bengaluru today to hear the petition. The EP challenged Revanna's election on grounds that he had not secured the maximum number of valid votes. The petition alleged bribery and non-disclosure of assets.
Noticing that the first respondent Revanna himself was not present at the hearing, the court observed, "You can't pay advocates to attend the case and stay away."
During the examination, the petitioner-witness pointed out various instances wherein the assets declared by Revanna were allegedly wrong.
The second respondent in the case is A Manju, the defeated candidate in the same election.
His chief examination was also conducted by the petitioner's counsel and senior advocate Pramila Nesargi today.
During the examination, the example of the "Chennambika Conventional Hall" was cited, which is said to be worth at least Rs five crore but declared as worth only Rs 14 lakh. Another example was a bank balance in an account declared as Rs five lakh but allegedly having a deposit of Rs 48 lakh.
It was alleged that there were several benami' assets of the MP and income tax fraud.
The Court adjourned the hearing to June 24.
This EP was earlier dismissed by the High Court on technical grounds that the annexures were not attested. The Supreme Court, however, set aside that order and sent the petition back for hearing.
Another EP was filed against Prajwal Revanna by A Manju, the defeated candidate in the Lok Sabha election held in 2019.
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
