Karnataka Cong MLA Vinay Kulkarni booked for rape, kidnapping and criminal intimidation
Bengaluru: An FIR has been registered against Congress MLA and former minister Vinay Kulkarni on allegations of rape, kidnapping and criminal intimidation, police said on Wednesday.
The case was booked following a complaint by a 34-year-old social worker at Sanjay Nagar police station, accusing the Dharwad MLA of making phone and video calls to her, they said.
In the FIR, the legislator has been named as accused number one and his close aide Arjun as accused number two, police said.
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The woman has alleged that she met the MLA in 2022 and accused Kulkarni of making video calls to her and having vulgar conversations with her.
She alleged that he took her to a deserted area near the Kempegowda International Airport in Devanahalli where he raped and sexually assaulted her inside the car. He also threatened her to remain quiet.
Based on her complaint, a case was registered against the MLA under IT Act and other sections, including that of rape, kidnapping, criminal intimidation, causing disappearance of evidence, voluntarily causing hurt and assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty, according to the police.
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Sujit Nair raises concerns over speculation of DMK-AIADMK understanding to block TVK
Chennai: Journalist and political commentator Sujit Nair has expressed concern over speculation that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam could explore a post-poll understanding to prevent Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam from forming the government in Tamil Nadu.
In a social media post, Sujit Nair said the election verdict in Tamil Nadu reflected a clear public demand for political change and argued that the mandate should be respected irrespective of political preferences.
Referring to reports and political discussions surrounding a possible understanding between the DMK and AIADMK, he said he hoped such developments remained only speculative conversations and did not turn into reality.
Nair stated that if such an alliance were to take shape, it would raise serious questions about ideological politics in the country. He said TVK had emerged through a democratic electoral process and that the legitimacy to govern in a parliamentary democracy comes from the people’s verdict.
According to him, attempts to prevent an electoral winner from forming the government through unexpected political arrangements may be constitutionally valid, but many people could view them as politically opportunistic.
He further said that such a move could particularly affect the political image of the DMK, which has historically projected itself around ideology, social justice and opposition politics. Nair said that in ideological terms, the DMK appeared closer to TVK than to the AIADMK, and joining hands with its long-time political rival only to remain in power could weaken its broader political narrative.
He added that the same questions would apply to the AIADMK as well, as the party had spent decades positioning itself against the DMK and such an arrangement could create discomfort among its cadre and supporters.
Drawing a comparison with Maharashtra politics in 2019, Nair said he had expressed similar views when the Shiv Sena formed an alliance with the Indian National Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party after the Assembly elections.
He said post-poll alliances between long-standing political rivals often create a public perception that ideology and electoral mandates become secondary when political power equations come into play.
Nair also said such developments increase public cynicism towards politics and reinforce the belief among voters that ideology is often sidelined after elections.
He maintained that the Tamil Nadu verdict was emphatic and said respecting both the spirit and substance of the mandate was important for the credibility of democratic politics.
