Karnataka Home Minister denies reports actor Darshan getting "royal treatment" at police station
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Friday denied reports that "royal treatment" was being given to Kannada actor Darshan Thoogudeepa and his associates at a police station here, where they are held after their arrest in connection with a murder case.
He said Darshan is being given similar treatment as given to any other accused, adding that neither 'Biryani' was served nor special facilities were being provided to him.
"I will instruct the police to take necessary measures in the interest of the public, but we should also let them investigate freely. It is not possible for police to give Biryani and royal treatment to the accused. It is not done and it should not be done," Parameshwara told reporters here.
"On hearing such (complaints) from you (media), I inquired. They (police) said, no such facilities are being given and it will not be done. How other accused are treated, he (Darshan) is also treated in the same way. There is no mercy.... They (police) should be given free hand. I have also inquired with the (Bengaluru Police) Commissioner," the Minister said.
He was responding to a question on reports of police causing inconvenience to the public near Annapoorneshwari Nagar police station, where Darshan is held, by restricting movement of people nearby by blocking roads, and not allowing even school vans and ambulances to pass by.
When pointed out that other complainants and those coming for passport verification are facing inconvenience in going to the police station, the Minister said he will instruct the police to take necessary measures in this regard.
Darshan, popularly known as "Challenging Star", and his associates were arrested on Tuesday for the murder of 33-year-old Renukaswamy, a fan of the actor.
Renukaswamy, a resident of district headquarters town of Chitradurga, allegedly commented on the social media account of Pavithra Gowda, a friend of Darshan and small-time actress, accusing her of creating a rift between the actor and his wife. He also allegedly used "indecent language" and posted offensive messages, according to police sources.
Meanwhile, the Bengaluru Police have clamped prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) within a 200-metre radius of the Annapoorneshwari Nagar police station, where the suspects are being held and questioned, prohibiting public gathering.
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Bill to set up single higher education regulator likely to be tabled in Parliament next week
New Delhi (PTI): A Bill which seeks to set up a single regulator for institutions of higher education is required to facilitate universities and other higher educational institutes become independent and self-governing, officials said.
The Bill is likely to be introduced in Parliament next week after it got the Union Cabinet's nod on Friday.
The proposed legislation, which was earlier christened the Higher Education Commission of India (HECI) Bill, has now been named Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhikshan Bill.
A single higher education regulator, which was proposed in the new National Education Policy (NEP), looks to replace the University Grants Commission (UGC), the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), and the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE).
"The Bill proposes to set up a Higher Education Commission of India to facilitate universities and other higher educational institutes become independent and self-governing institutions and to promote excellence through a robust and transparent system of accreditation and autonomy. It is likely to be introduced (in Parliament) in the coming week," an official said.
While the UGC presently oversees non-technical higher education in the country, the AICTE oversees technical education, while the NCTE is the regulatory body for teachers' education.
The Commission is proposed to be set up as a single higher education regulator, but medical and law colleges will not be brought under its ambit.
It is proposed to have three major roles -- regulation, accreditation and setting professional standards, officials said.
Funding, which is seen as the fourth vertical, is not proposed to be under the regulator so far. The autonomy for funding is proposed to be with the administrative ministry, they said.
