MCC violation: Karnataka HC grants interim relief to DK Shivakumar
Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court has granted interim relief to Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, facing charges of model code violation during the campaign for the Lok Sabha elections.
Justice Krishna S Dixit directed the authorities concerned to refrain from taking further action against him until the next hearing, on his petition challenging the FIR registered against him.
The case was registered on April 19 following a complaint by the BJP to the Election Commission of India alleging that Shivakumar, who is also Congress state president, attempted to blackmail voters. The BJP claimed that during an election speech at Rajarajeshwari Nagar, while campaigning for his brother and LS candidate D K Suresh, Shivakumar promised voters Cauvery water supply and occupancy certificates in exchange for votes for the Congress.
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Expressing reservations, the Court questioned whether the remarks attributed to Shivakumar would constitute offences under Sections 171B (bribery) and 171C (undue influence at elections) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The judge emphasised the need for deeper consideration of the matter and sought to know whether Shivakumar's statements strictly meet the parameters of the charged sections.
However, the Court asked Shivakumar's counsel to advise his client to be more cautious in his speeches. Additionally, it raised concerns regarding the time given to Shivakumar by the EC to respond to a notice served on him. Granting interim relief to Shivakumar, the Court expressed dismay over the declining standards of election speeches and noted that the quality, content, and presentation have fallen "abysmally low."
Justice Dixit remarked that it was uncertain if such standards could deteriorate further. The Court recorded an assurance from Shivakumar's counsel that the Congress leader had been advised to exercise caution over his remarks.
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Jharkhand: 3 arrested for 'raping' 2 women in Gumla
Gumla (PTI): Three persons were arrested on Monday for allegedly raping two women at a village in Jharkhand’s Gumla district, police said.
All the three accused have been remanded to judicial custody, Gumla Sadar Police Station officer-in-charge, Mahendra Karmali, told PTI.
According to police, one of the women had been called to Gumla Sadar by her boyfriend on Sunday for an outing.
“She arrived at the spot accompanied by a female. The woman’s boyfriend then called a friend, and they took the two women to a secluded place in Sisai police station area in the evening, forcibly made them consume alcohol before raping them,” the officer said.
The accused later called another man to the spot, who also allegedly raped the women, he said.
“The women later reached the Sadar Police Station and lodged a complaint on Sunday night. Police conducted raids and nabbed the three accused on Monday,” he added.
Further investigation is underway.
