Karnataka HC vacates stay on KMF recruitment by Gujarat-based agency
Bengaluru, Apr 20: The High Court on Thursday vacated the stay on the recruitment for 487 posts of the Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF) by a Gujarat-based agency.
The court had earlier granted an interim stay on the recruitment process.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Prasanna B Varale and Justice MSG Kamal heard the public interest litigation filed by five milk producing co-operative societies challenging the recruitment.
The court allowed the recruitment process and also the announcement of the final list of candidates subject to the outcome of the PIL..
The court had earlier on March 17 gave an interim stay on the recruitment for the various posts.
The PIL filed by the Itapanahallli Milk Producers Co-operative Society Ltd and four other societies from Chikkaballapura had said that the recruitment notification issued by the KMF on October 20, 2022 had appointed Gujarat-based Institute of Rural Management, Anand (IRMA) as the examination agency.
The exams were held on December 18, 2022 and results were announced on January 25, 2023.
The PIL alleged that there were protests against the proposed merger of KMF with Gujarat-based AMUL but an agency from Anand, which is also the headquarters of Amul, was chosen for the recruitment process though it did not have prior experience in such recruitment.
It was claimed that as per the Karnataka Co-operative Societies Rules ( Rule 18), the written test should comprise of 200 marks including Kannada language.
The examination agency should, therefore, be from within the State to have expertise in Kannada. The petition also challenged the marks of the candidates being announced before the interview process.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Nightclub fire: Goa court remands Luthra brothers in police custody for five days
Panaji (PTI): A court in North Goa on Wednesday remanded Gaurav and Saurabh Luthra, co-owners of the ‘Birch by Romeo Lane’ nightclub, in police custody for five days.
The brothers, brought to Goa from Delhi after being deported from Thailand in connection with the December 6 blaze that killed 25, were produced in the court after undergoing health check-ups twice at the District Hospital in North Goa.
Judicial Magistrate First Class Mapusa Puja Sardesai remanded the two brothers in police custody for five days.
Advocate Vishnu Joshi, representing Bhavana Joshi who lost four family members in the tragedy, said that the accused were asking for “special consideration” claiming poor health.
ALSO READ: Dharmasthala mass burial case: Accused Chinnayya expected to be released on Wednesday
“We said they should not be given any extra relaxation,” he said, adding that the court has taken cognisance of the fact that this is about the death of “25 people in the form of mass genocide”.
“But since they kept pressing for medical check-up, the court ordered reexamination of their health. It is clear in the medical examination that they don’t require any consideration. The accused sought special considerations in the lock-up like a good mattress, which the court refused,” said Joshi.
A team of the Goa Police, along with the Luthra brothers, arrived at the Manohar International Airport, Mopa, in North Goa at 10.45 am.
The duo was initially taken to a Primary Health Centre at Siolim for medical examination. They were then taken to the District Hospital at Mapusa.
After their health assessment, the two were brought to the court.
The court directed that the accused be sent for fresh medical examination. Accordingly, the two were again taken to the District Hospital.
Later, they were produced before Judge Sardesai, who ordered the five-day police custody of the accused.
After the fire tragedy at Arpora village, the Anjuna police had registered a case against the Luthra brothers on various charges, including culpable homicide not amounting to murder.
The brothers were arrested in Delhi on Tuesday after being deported from Thailand. A court there allowed the Goa Police their two-day transit remand.
ALSO READ: Woman threatens to end life as police official refuses to accept love proposal, FIR registered
The duo had fled to Phuket in Thailand early on December 7, hours after the fire at their nightclub, prompting the authorities to issue an Interpol Blue Corner Notice and cancel their passports.
They were detained by Thai authorities at Phuket on December 11 following a request from the Indian government, which later coordinated with officials in Thailand to deport them under legal treaties between the two nations.
Five managers and staff members have already been arrested by the Goa Police in connection with the fire.
